JAN   S)  1919 


BV  600  .B87 
Burnett,  J.  F.  1G51- 
The  church,  the  pillar  and 
ground  of  the  truth 


JAN    i^  1919 


THE  CHURCH 

THE  PILLAR  AND  GROUND 
OF  THE  TRUTH 


/ 

By  John  Franklin  Burnett 
author  of 

"Christian  Endeavor  Addresses,"  "Origin  and 
Principles  of  the  Christians,"  Etc. 


The  Christian  Publishing  Association 

DAYTON.  OHIO 


Copyright,  1917,  by 

The  Christian  Publishing  Association, 

Dayton,  Ohio. 


CONTENTS 

Dedication  6 

Some  Forewords 7 

Introductory 11 

The  Church  13 

The  Idealized  Church 13 

Established  by  Christ  13 

The  Church  One  Body 15 

Christ  the  Head 16 

A  Divine  Institution 17 

Has  a  Divine  Builder 18 

Has  a  Divine  Foundation 19 

Has  a  Divine  Law  20 

Has  a  Divine  Membership 21 

Has  a  Divine  Name 23 

The  Name  Includes  All  Believers 29 

The  Name  Distinguishes  Christ's  Followers  From 

the  World  but  not  From  Each  Other  31 

The  Name  Would  Honor  the  Christ 32 

The  Church  Has  Two  Divine  Ordinances — 

Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper 32 

The  Church  Has  a  Divine  Commission 34 

The  Church  Has  a  Divine  Assurance  of  Triumph  34 


The  Local  Church 35 

The  Church  at  Jerusalem  the  Model 36 

The  Local  Church  an  Independent  Unit 38 

The  Local  Church  not  Buled  by  Bishops 41 

What  the  Local  Church  Has  no  Right  to  Do 43 

It  Has  no  Right  to  Adopt  a  Creed 43 

It  Has  no  Right  to  Formulate  a  Doctrine 44 

It  Has  no  Right  to  Appropriate  a  Name  Except 

for  Local  Identification  45 

It  Has  no  Right  to  Limit  Its  Fellowship  by  Sec- 
tarian  Tests    46 

It  Has  no  Right  to  Enforce  Binding  Rules 47 

It  Has  no  Right  to  a  Name  That  Includes  All  the 
Followers  of  Christ  if  Its  Test  of  Membership 

Excludes  Some   47 

What  the  Local  Church  Has  a  Right  to  Do 47 

A  Christian  Church 61 

What  It  Is 61 

Independent,  but  not  Isolated 52 

Church  Officers 55 

Pastors    57 

Elders   59 

Duties    60 

Deacons 60 

Origin  of  the  Office  of  Deacon 60 

Method  of  Choosing 63 

Qualification 64 

Office  not  Confined  to  Men 65 

Duties   67 


Ordination  and  Term  of  Service 70 

Other  Church  Officers  71 

Discipline    73 

Watch-care  74 

Adjustment  of  Private  and  Personal  Grievances, .  75 

Offense  Against  the  Whole  Church 76 

Exclusion  of  Members   77 

Principles  Set  Forth  79 

Receiving  Members 80 

Choosing  a  Pastor , 84 

The  Importance  of  Care 84 

A  Wrong  Way  to  Do  It 84 

The  Right  Way  to  Do  It 88 

The  Preacher  93 

His  Call  and  Commission  93 

Qualification  and  Preparation 100 

Preparation    105 

A  Vital  Christian  Experience 107 

Preacher  and  Man  One  and  the  Same  Personality  109 

Preparation  Through  His  Own  Efforts 110 

The  Message  and  Its  Preparation 118 

Range  of  Subjects  119 

Sermons  Poorly  Planned 120 

Physical  Preparation 127 

Dependence  and  Independence 135 

What  Is  Promised  Him 137 

Hints,  Suggestions,  Illustrations 143 

Sensational  Preaching 151 


TO  THE  MEMORY  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN 
PREACHERS  WHO  LIVED  AND  LABORED  IN 
THE  LONG  AGO,  AND  TO  THEIR  SUCCESSORS 
IN  SERVICE  FOR  ALL  TIME  TO  COME  THIS 
LITTLE  VOLUME  IS  SINCERELY  DEDICATED. 

THE  AUTHOR. 


SOME   FOREWORDS 

ONE — The  writing  of  a  book  is  serious  busi- 
ness. If  error  should  be  taught  the  readers  are 
wrongly  affected,  and  must  suffer  harm.  On  the 
other  hand,  if  truth  is  taught  the  author  speaks 
to  many  and  influences  many  for  good,  who  other- 
wise would  never  come  under  his  influence. 

TWO — It  was  not  the  author's  purpose  in  the 
beginning  to  write  a  book.  Indeed,  such  a  thing 
did  not  occur  to  him  until  the  matter  had  all  been 
written  one  or  more  times.  Originally  he  studied 
and  wrote,  as  he  had  opportunity,  for  the  sake 
of  discovering  Biblical  teaching  concerning  the 
Church,  and  when  he  had  thus  studied  and  writ- 
ten, it  occurred  to  him  to  offer  to  others  the  bene- 
fit of  what  he  had  discovered. 
&'•' 

THREE — The  entire  work  has  been  done  at 
such  times  as  could  be  spared  from  the  regular 
duties  and  strenuous  obligations  of  the  author's 
life,  which  made  extensive  research  an  impossibil- 


ity,  and  necessarily  limited  adequate  thought  and 
literary  preparedness,  and  yet  the  author  feels 
assured  that  in  the  work  he  offers,  there  will  be 
found  sufficient  evidence  to  justify  his  conclu- 
sions. 

FOUR — The  author  does  not  flatter  himself 
that  the  book  is  meeting  a  long  felt  want,  but  he 
does  feel  that  all  too  little  is  known  about  the 
Church  that  Jesus  Christ  is  building  upon  the 
Rock,  and  hence  with  the  hope  and  desire  that  this 
little  volume  may  stimulate  a  study  of,  and  a  love 
for  that  Church,  he  ventures  to  send  it  forth  upon 
its  mission,  even  though  it  may  not  possess  liter- 
ary excellence,  nor  the  polish  of  a  scholarly  pro- 
duction. 

FIVE — The  book  contains  and  expresses  the 
author's  individual  conviction  of  the  subjects  he 
treats.  It  is  not  authorized  by  the  Church,  nor 
endorsed  by  an  organization.  The  Christian 
Church,  as  such,  does  not  pronounce  upon  any 
Biblical  subject,  and  while  the  author  most  sin- 
cerely believes  all  he  has  written,  he  would  vote 
against  an  official  endorsement  of  it  by  the  Church 
to  which  he  belongs. 


SIX — This  book  belongs  to,  and  is  issued  by. 
The  Christian  Publishing  Association,  and  that 
too  without  profit,  compensation,  or  obligation  to 
the  author,  but  The  Christian  Publishing  Associa- 
tion does  not  assume  responsibility  for  the  doc- 
trinal utterances,  being  controlled  by  a  brother- 
hood that  allows  individual  interpretation  of  the 
Scriptures,  making  Christian  character  the  only 
test  of  fellowship.  With  our  people,  freedom  of 
utterance  is  equally  a  right  with  freedom  of  inter- 
pretation ;  the  one  implying  the  other. 

SEVEN — The  author  desires  to  acknowledge 
his  obligation  to  the  printers  who  set  the  type, 
to  the  proof-reader  who  corrected  the  errors,  to 
the  Manager  who  gave  the  manuscript  personal 
attention,  to  the  men  who  made  up  the  forms,  and 
to  the  superintendent,  foremen,  and  workers  of 
the  composing  and  press  rooms,  for  their  kindly, 
patient  service,  by  which  the  book  possesses  value 
it  would  not  otherwise  have  had- 

EIGHT — The  author  acknowledges  special 
obligation  to  Rev.  Samuel  Quinn  Helfenstein, 
D.  D.,  who  verified  the  Greek  phrases  and  refer- 
ences, and  to  Mrs.  Lulu  Craig  Helfenstein,  for 


careful  attention  given  to  the  literary  character 
of  the  manuscript. 

NINE — It  is  a  very  special  pleasure  to  have 
the  Introductory  by  Rev.  Pressley  E.  Zartmann, 
and  the  author  feels  highly  complimented 
in  having  his  little  book  contain  such  valuable 
matter  from  the  pen  of  a  fellow  servant  whose 
brotherly  fellowship  has  been  a  blessing  and  an 
inspiration  for  almost  a  quarter  of  a  century. 

John  Franklin  Burnett. 

Dayton,  Ohio,  April  16, 1917. 

The  sixty-sixth  anniversary  of  his  birth. 


INTRODUCTORY 

With  no  intention  to  overdo  the  privilege  here 
accorded  me,  it  is  with  the  utmost  sincerity  that 
the  reader's  attention  is  called  to  the  contents  of 
this  volume.  The  author,  in  his  own  clear  and 
distinct  way,  sets  forth  the  Church — its  place,  its 
function,  its  force  as  a  leader.  Then  he  goes 
about  to  call  attention  to  the  duties  and  privileges 
of  its  various  officers.  In  it  all,  no  attempt  has 
been  made  to  assume  the  attitude  of  "thou  shalt" 
or  "thou  shalt  not,"  but  specially  calling  the 
reader  to  heed  "former  things,"  with  the 
Scriptural  basis  for  the  position  taken. 

The  close  reader  will  at  once  be  convinced  of 
the  absolutely  Biblical  setting  of  the  Church  and 
its  auxiliaries.  The  book  does  not  set  forth  the 
position  of  any  denomination.  It  is  not  a  rule  of 
doctrine  and  practice  for  the  Presbyterian,  the 
Methodist,  the  Baptist,  or  any  of  the  many  other 
branches  of  the  Church,  but  outlines  in  distinct 
simplicity  the  meaning  of  the  Church  of  our  Lord 


and  Savior,  Jesus  Christ,  the  members  of  which 
are  Christ-ians.  Deep-rooted  and  comprehensive, 
it  is  clear-cut  and  Biblical.  Speaking  with 
definiteness,  the  author  cites  Scriptural  proof  for 
the  position  taken  in  things  doctrinal  and  govern- 
mental, with,  however,  emphatic  notation  that 
individual  interpretation  is  the  Biblical  privilege 
of  every  follower  of  the  Man  of  Galilee,  and  that 
the  divinity  of  Christ  is  above  the  goodness  of 
man. 

In  the  closing  pages,  large  place  is  given  to  "The 
Preacher,"  his  call,  commission,  qualifications, 
preparation,  his  message,  and  his  place  of  service 
among  and  for  the  people.  In  the  setting  of  these 
assets  of  the  preacher-man  one  discerns  the  close 
student  and  the  preparedness  which  he  finds  by 
close  fellowship  with  the  author — a  blessed  priv- 
ilege it  has  been  mine  to  enjoy  for  many  years. 

This  is  a  volume  that  should  find  its  place  in 
every  church  library,  as  well  as  being  one  of  the 
most  read  books  in  every  family  of  every  church. 

With  his  many  years  of  close  attention  to,  and 
active  service  in,  the  cause  of  the  Master,  my 
friend,  the  author,  gives  to  our  people  a  timely 
volume.  Pressley  Elmer  Zartmann. 


THE  CHURCH 

The  idealized  Church — the  spiritual  body  of 
Christ — ^the  Church  that  Jesus  is  to  "present  to 
Himself  not  having  spot  or  wrinkle  or  any- 
such  thing,"  is  never  conceived  nor  spoken  of  as  a 
tangible  entity:  a  Church  that  can  meet  and 
choose  a  pastor,  transact  business,  make  con- 
tracts, elect  officers,  appoint  committees,  and  con- 
duct service.  All  such  things  as  these  must  be 
done  by  the  local  congregation. 

THE  CHURCH  WAS  ESTABLISHED  BY  CHRIST 

Perhaps  it  may  be  said,  that  in  no  correct  sense 
did  Christ  organize  a  Church,  but  He  established 
the  Church,  and  that  too  while  He  was  on  the 
earth  and  among  men.  He  began  to  build  the 
Church  during  His  public  ministry.  He  said  He 
would  build  His  Church  and  He  began  the  work 
of  spiritual  construction  while  in  the  flesh.  The 
words,  "I  will  build,"  refer  to  the  time  in  which 
He  then  lived  and  the  work  He  was  then  doing 
as  much  as  to  the  time  and  the  work  of  the 
future.  He  began  to  build  then.  He  is  building 
yet,  and  He  will  continue  to  build  until  the 
Church  is  completed  and  He  "presents  it  to  Him- 


14  THE  CHURCH 

self  a  glorious  Church,  not  having  spot  or  wrinkle 
or  any  such  thing."  Christ  had  a  following  while 
on  the  earth,  and  that  following  was  His  Church. 
He  spoke  of  having  other  sheep  which  were  not 
of  that  flock,  and  He  declared  His  intention  of 
bringing  them  in,  so  that  there  would  be  but  one 
flock,  and  one  shepherd. 

He  was  not  speaking  of  a  flock  which  He  was 
going  to  get  after  Pentecost,  but  of  one  He  already 
had.  His  followers  were  believers  in  Him  while 
He  was  among  them,  and  they  cannot  be  more 
now.  They  communed  together,  they  were  united 
to  Him  by  faith,  they  had  left  all  to  follow  Him, 
and  they  lacked  nothing,  absolutely  nothing  to 
make  them  the  ecclesia — the  called  out,  or  assem- 
bled ones.  Jesus  told  them  not  to  fear,  for  it  was 
His  Father's  good  pleasure  to  give  them  the  King- 
dom. He  went  so  far  as  to  give  them  instruction 
as  to  the  treatment  of  an  offending  brother 
(Matt.  16:  17,  18)  without  even  suggesting  that 
the  Church  to  which  they  were  to  tell  it  at  the 
last  was  not  then  in  existence.  It  is  said  that  on 
the  day  of  Pentecost,  "there  were  added  unto 
them  about  three  thousand  souls."  Added  unto 
whom,  and  to  what?  Could  the  Lord  add  to  some- 
thing that  had  no  existence?  That  to  which  they 
were  added  was  the  Church  that  already  existed. 
It  had  not  yet  met  for  worship;  it  had  not  yet 


ESTABLISHED  BY  CHRIST  15 

selected  a  bishop ;  it  had  not  yet  chosen  deacons, 
but  it  existed;  it  was.  To  that  Church  belonged 
Peter,  and  James,  and  John,  and  all  the  other 
apostles  who  had  been  faithful  to  Jesus  Christ; 
it  included  Mary,  His  own  dear  mother,  and  the 
Mary  out  of  whom  He  had  cast  the  devils,  and 
the  woman  whom  the  Pharisees  had  brought  to 
Him  for  judgment;  it  included  the  man  who  had 
been  born  blind,  but  who  could  then  see,  and  many 
others,  all  of  whom  He  had  taken  into  His  fellow- 
ship and  who  had  entered  His  Church  while  He 
was  on  the  earth  and  among  them  in  the  flesh. 
That  is  the  church  which  Jesus  began  to  build, 
and  which  He  will  complete,  and,  "then  present 
it  to  Himself,  a  glorious  Church,  not  having  spot 
or  wrinkle  or  any  such  thing."  Paul  in  speaking 
of  that  Church  says :  "For  as  the  body  is  one,  and 
hath  many  members,  and  all  the  members  of  the 
body,  being  many,  are  one  body ;  so  also  is  Christ. 
For  in  one  Spirit  were  we  all  baptized  into  one 
body,  whether  Jews  or  Greeks,  whether  bond  or 
free;  and  were  all  made  to  drink  of  one  Spirit. 
For  the  body  is  not  one  member,  but  many.  If 
the  foot  shall  say.  Because  I  am  not  the  hand,  I 
am  not  of  the  body ;  it  is  therefore  not  of  the  body. 
And  if  the  ear  shall  say.  Because  I  am  not  the  eye, 
I  am  not  of  the  body;  it  is  therefore  not  of  the 
body.    If  the  whole  body  were  an  eye,  where  were 


16  THE  CHURCH 

the  hearing?  If  the  whole  were  hearing,  where 
were  the  smelling?  But  now  hath  God  set  the 
members  each  one  of  them  in  the  body,  even 
as  it  pleased  Him.  And  if  they  were  all  one  mem- 
ber, where  were  the  body?  But  now  they  are 
many  members,  but  one  body."  1  Cor.  12 :  12-20. 
This  is  not  a  divided  Church,  but  a  Church  with 
one  Head,  or  Lord,  one  Spirit,  one  Faith,  one  Bap- 
tism, one  Hope,  and  one  God  and  Father  of  us  all. 
The  late  Rev.  Austin  Craig,  D.  D.,  commenting 
upon  this  one  body  of  Christ  says:  "The  mystic 
body  of  Christ  has  one  Head.  It  is  not  a  deformed 
monster;  it  has  not  many  heads;  it  has  but  one 
Head, — Jesus  Christ.  Queen  Victoria  is  not  the 
head  of  Christ's  Church,  although  she  is  the  head 
of  the  Church  of  England.  Pope  Pius  IX.  is  not 
the  head  of  Christ's  Church,  although  he  is  the 
head  of  the  Church  of  Rome.  Christ  is  the  Head 
of  His  own  Church." 

As  in  the  Church  of  Christ  there  is  one  Head, 
so  there  is  but  one  Body.  Christ  has  not  several 
bodies.  He  has  not  a  Catholic  body  and  a  Prot- 
estant body.  He  has  not  a  Calvanistic  body  and 
an  Arminian  body.  He  has  not  a  Presbyterian 
body  and  a  Methodist  body,  no!  Christ  has  but 
one  Body;  "many  members,  yet  but  one  Body." 
And  this  one  Body,  this  one  Church,  contains  all 
the  members,  all  the  followers  of  Christ.    There- 


ESTABLISHED  BY  CHRIST  17 

fore  no  Church  is  the  Church  of  Christ,  which 
does  not  contain  all  the  members  of  Christ's  spir- 
itual body.  The  Church  of  Rome  is  not  the  Church 
of  Christ,  unless  the  Church  of  Rome  contains  all 
the  good.  The  Church  of  England  is  not  the 
Church  of  Christ,  because  she  excludes  some  who 
are  members  of  Christ.  The  Methodist  Church  is 
not  the  Church  of  Christ,  for  the  reason  that  it 
does  not  contain  all  Christians.  Nor  is  the  Pres- 
byterian Church,  nor  the  Baptist  Church,  nor  the 
Lutheran  Church,  the  Church  of  Christ.  No  one 
of  these  churches  is  that  One  Body  of  Christ,  for 
the  sufficient  reason  that  no  one  of  them  contains 
all  the  members  of  Christ's  Mystic  Body. 

The  Church  Is  a  Divine  Institution. 

It  is  not  an  organization,  but  a  divine  institu- 
tion. The  interpretation  that  Daniel  gives  to  the 
vision  of  the  king  bears  testimony  to  the  above 
statement.  He  told  the  king  that  he  saw  a  great 
image  with  a  head  of  gold,  and  breast  and  arms  of 
silver,  belly  and  thighs  of  brass,  legs  of  iron  and 
feet  partly  iron,  and  partly  clay,  and  that  he  saw  a 
little  stone  cut  from  the  mountain  without  hands, 
and  it  became  a  great  mountain,  and  filled  the 
whole  earth. 

That  little  stone  cut  from  the  mountainside, 
without  human  hands,  is  the  symbol  of  the  Church 


18  THE  CHURCH 

of  Jesus  Christ,  and  it  is  absolutely  without 
human  element,  so  far  as  its  origin  or  power  to 
accomplish  its  mission  is  concerned.  The  power 
within  the  Church,  put  there  by  the  divine  life, 
is  that  which  makes  it  effective,  and  will  enable  it 
to  fill  the  whole  world  as  set  forth  in  the  vision  of 
the  king  and  the  prophet's  interpretation. 

The  Church  Has  a  Divine  Builder. 

When  Jesus  Christ  came  into  the  coasts  of 
Csesarea  Phillippi,  He  held  a  conversation  with 
His  disciples  in  regard  to  the  opinion  that  men 
entertained  concerning  Himself,  and  also  as  to 
their  own  conception  of  Him,  and  when  Peter  con- 
fessed that  He  was  the  Christ,  Jesus  told  him 
plainly  that  upon  the  Rock  Christ  Jesus  He  would 
build  His  Church,  and  that  the  gates  of  Hades 
should  not  prevail  against  it.  The  word  "build" 
as  Jesus  used  it,  does  not  mean  to  build  to  com- 
pletion, as  one  completes  the  reading  of  a  book, 
or  the  building  of  a  ship,  but  rather,  I  will  be 
building.  It  shall  be  my  life's  work  to  build  my 
Church.  I  shall  build  here,  and  there,  and  every- 
where; I  shall  build  in  this  age,  and  through  the 
ages  to  come;  I  shall  build  here  in  Judea,  and  in 
Samaria,  and  in  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth, 
to-day,  to-morrow,  this  year,  next  year,  on  and 
forever,  until  I  shall  complete  the  building  and 


ESTABLISHED  BY  CHRIST  19 

present  it  to  myself  a  glorious  Church,  not  having 
spot  or  wrinkle  or  any  such  thing.  Jesus  has 
been  doing  that  work  since  then  until  now.  Amid 
the  persecutions  that  befell  the  early  Christians, 
in  the  flames  that  burned  the  martyrs,  in  the 
prisons  that  enclosed  the  saints,  in  the  field,  in 
the  shop,  in  the  home,  on  the  street,  everywhere, 
Jesus  has  been  preparing  and  fitting  material  into 
this  spiritual  brotherhood,  this  mystic  body  of  His, 
which  He  Himself  called  the  Church,  and  which 
He  Himself  is  building. 

I  have  often  heard  preachers  say  that  they  went 
out  and  built  up  the  Church.  As  well  might  the 
hammer  say,  I  built  the  house;  as  well  might 
the  saw  say,  I  shaped  the  board ;  as  well  might  the 
pen  say,  I  wrote  the  letter.  It  is  the  hammer  in 
the  hand  of  the  carpenter,  the  saw  in  the  hand  of 
the  workman,  the  pen  in  the  hand  of  the  writer, 
and  the  preacher  in  the  hand  of  the  great  Master 
builder,  who,  by  His  own  power  and  the  proper 
use  of  the  means  employed,  is  building  this  divine 
structure  called  the  Church,  the  mystic  body  of 
the  Son  of  God. 

The  Church  Has  a  Divine  Foundation. 

I  can  quite  understand  how  human  wisdom  and 
human  power  might  be  sufficient  for  the  laying 
of  a  foundation  broad  enough  and  solid  enough  for 


20  THE  CHURCH 

a  human  organization,  but  I  am  unable  to  conceive 
of  human  wisdom  and  human  power  sufficiently 
great  to  lay  the  foundation  for  an  institution  that 
is  to  last  throughout  all  time  and  eternity,  and 
be  found  in  every  country  of  the  world ;  in  every 
age  of  the  world,  since  the  dawn  of  Christianity. 
I  am  quite  convinced  also  that  God  has  not  left 
the  laying  of  this  foundation  to  any  human  wis- 
dom or  power,  for  He  says:  "Behold  I  lay  in 
Zion  for  a  foundation,  a  stone,  a  tried  stone,  a 
precious  corner  stone  a  sure  foundation;  he  that 
believeth  shall  not  be  in  haste."  Paul  in  speak- 
ing of  the  foundation  says :  "For  other  foundation 
can  no  man  lay  than  that  which  is  laid,  which  is 
Jesus  Christ."  The  Church  is  not  built  upon  the 
teaching  of  men ;  not  upon  a  foundation  of  human 
construction,  but  upon  the  foundation  planned  in 
the  counsels  of  heaven  and  laid  by  the  power  of 
the  Omnipotent. 

The  Church  Has  a  Divine  Law. 

As  with  the  foundation,  I  can  see  how  the  wis- 
dom and  power  of  men  might  be  sufficient  to  enact 
a  law  for  the  government  of  even  a  world-wide 
organization,  but  I  cannot  understand  how  human 
wisdom  and  human  power  could  be  sufficient  to 
enact  a  law  for  the  government  of  an  institution 
that  is  to  embrace  every  nation  under  heaven,  live 


ESTABLISHED  BY  CHRIST  21 

■i^tf*'"  ■" .,  * 

under  all  the  varied  forms  of  human  society, 
through  all  generations  of  men,  and  yet  be  so 
written  as  to  fit  into  all  lives,  all  conditions,  and 
all  governments  of  all  time,  and  of  all  nations. 
I  am  quite  convinced  too,  that  God  has  not  left 
it  to  the  intelligence  of  man  to  enact  such  a  law. 
The  Bible  is  God's  divine  law  for  the  government 
of  His  Church,  and  in  it  is  found  a  remedy  for  all 
evils,  a  cure  for  all  diseases,  a  rule  for  all  conduct, 
a  guide  for  every  life,  a  penalty  for  every  sin,  a 
reward  for  every  good  deed,  and  a  promise  for 
every  kindly  service.  There  is  not  now,  there 
never  has  been,  a  condition  of  human  society  for 
which  there  is  not  a  principle  and  a  rule  in  God's 
written  law  for  its  reward,  condemnation,  or 
relief,  as  the  condition  demands.  The  Church  has 
a  divine  law,  as  well  as  a  divine  foundation. 

The  Church  Has  a  Divine  Membership. 

By  this  we  are  to  understand  that  the  members 
have  passed  from  death  unto  life,  having  been 
made  partakers  of  the  divine  nature.  It  is  not  an 
uncommon  thing  to  hear  one  ask  another:  "How 
many  members  have  you  in  your  church?"  mean- 
ing, of  course,  how  many  Christians  are  there  in 
your  membership,  and  at  once  the  answer  is  given 
from  the  human  roll,  as  though  that  constituted 
the  divine  family  of  God  among  men ;  as  though  a 


22  THE  CHURCH 

human  could  count  for  God,  as  though  a  man 
could  look  down  into  a  human  heart  and  weigh 
and  determine  motive,  and  love,  and  loyalty,  and 
thereby  decide  who  are  worthy  of  the  kingdom  of 
God.  Elijah  undertook  that  job  and  made  a  mis- 
erable failure.  He  said.  Lord,  I  have  counted 
them,  and  I  am  the  only  one  left,  and  they  seek 
my  life.  God  said,  Elijah,  you  have  missed  a  few. 
You  haven't  counted  all  the  faithful,  for  I  know 
of  seven  thousand  who  have  not  bowed  the  knee 
to  Baal.  Whenever  one  begins  to  count  the  good 
in  the  community,  one  is  sure  to  develop  that  sort 
of  cynical,  querulous  spirit  that  concludes  the 
good  are  all  dead  but  the  one  who  counts.  The 
story  is  told  of  a  pioneer  preacher  who  asked  a 
man  at  his  cabin  door  one  evening  if  there  were 
any  Christians  in  that  neighborhood,  and  the  man 
in  the  cabin  said,  "Well,  there  are  only  two,  my- 
self and  brother  Jake,  and  I  have  my  doubts  about 
Jake."  The  Jews  had  counted  them  in  Christ's 
time,  and  thought  they  had  counted  them  cor- 
rectly. Jesus  said,  you  have  missed  a  few.  "And 
other  sheep  I  have  which  are  not  of  this  fold: 
them  also  I  must  bring,  and  they  shall  hear  my 
voice;  and  there  shall  be  one  flock,  one  shep- 
herd." I  think  Jesus  must  have  said,  I  have  them 
on  every  hillside,  in  every  valley,  on  every  moun- 
tain top,  on  every  plain,  in  Rome,  in  Samaria, 


Established  by  christ         23 

in  the  fields,  in  the  shop,  in  the  home,  in  the  store ; 
anywhere,  everywhere,  where  the  heart  is  loyal 
to  me,  and  my  spirit  has  entered  into  the  life, 
there  you  will  find  those  who  are  being  prepared 
for  a  place  in  my  body  on  the  earth,  and  my  king- 
dom in  heaven.  But  whether  there  be  many,  or 
few,  they  are  members  by  virtue  of  their  having 
partaken  of  the  divine  nature,  and  in  that  sense 
they  constitute  a  divine  membership.  Bear  in 
mind  that  this  is  not  a  description  of  the  mem- 
bership of  the  local  organization.  There  may  be 
many  names  enrolled  on  the  book  of  the  local 
organization  that  will  not  be  found  in  the  Lamb's 
Book  of  Life,  and  certain  it  is  that  many  names 
will  be  found  written  by  the  recording  angel  that 
were  never  enrolled  in  the  membership  of  any 
local  Church.  Jesus  said  to  His  disciples,  "Ye 
did  not  choose  me,  but  I  chose  you."  You  are  my 
sheep,  and  it  is  your  Father's  good  pleasure  to 
give  you  the  kingdom. 

The  Church  Has  a  Divine  Name. 

If  Jesus  Christ  is  divine,  His  name  is  divine 
also,  and  the  Church  is  to  bear  His  name  as  a  wife 
bears  the  name  of  her  husband.  This  name  was 
promised  long  years  before  it  was  given  to  the 
followers  of  Christ.  "For  Zion's  sake  will  I  not 
hold  my  peace,  and  for  Jerusalem's  sake  I  will  not 


24  THE  CHURCH 

rest,  until  her  righteousness  go  forth  as  bright- 
ness, and  her  salvation  as  a  lamp  that  burneth 
And  the  nations  shall  see  thy  righteousness,  and 
all  kings  thy  glory ;  and  thou  shalt  be  called  by  a 
new  name,  which  the  mouth  of  Jehovah  shall 
name."  Isaiah  62 :  1,  2.  The  late  Rev.  J.  J.  Sum- 
merbell,  D.  D.,  than  whom  few,  if  any,  among  us 
were  better  able  to  speak,  says : 

What  can  be  this  "nev/  name"  that  the  Christ  speaks  of? 
May  it  not  be  that  which  sounds  like  Christ;  that  is, 
Christian?  There  was  a  "new  name"  (Acts  11:  26).  As 
a  matter  of  history  we  find  that  the  disciples  were  called 
Christians;  that  it  was  a  "new  name"  for  them.  May 
not  that  name  be  what  Paul  alludes  to  in  Ephesians  3 :  14, 
15?  According  to  the  old  version  it  reads:  "I  bow  my 
knees  unto  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  of  whom 
the  whole  family  in  heaven  and  earth  is  named."  If  they 
are  called  "Christians"  they  are  certainly  named  after 
Christ.  The  new  version  reads :  "I  bow  my  knees  unto  the 
Father,  from  whom  every  family  in  heaven  and  on  earth 
is  named."  Probably  it  ought  to  be,  of  whom  the  whole 
family  in  heaven  and  on  earth  is  named.  That  is  what 
would  be  expected;  that  God,  the  Father,  would  name  His 
whole  family.  From  His  affection  for  His  only-begotten 
Son,  it  would  not  be  surprising  if  God  would  name  the 
whole  family  after  Jesus  Christ.  That  is  just  what  he 
has  done;  for,  as  a  matter  of  strict  Biblical  statement 
(Acts  11:26),  we  find  that  the  disciples  "were  called  of 
God  Christians."  It  is  said  that  the  argument  for  the 
divine  appointment  of  the  name  rests  mainly  on  the 
Greek  word  chrematizo.  It  will  not  be  found  a  weak 
argument.  The  word  occurs  but  in  a  limited  number  of 
passages.    Let  us  examine  all  of  them: 

1.  Matthew  2:  12:  "And  being  warned  (of  God)  in  a 
dream  that  they  should  not  return  to  Herod,  they  departed 
into  their  own  country  another  way."  "Warned  of  God" 
represents  the  original  word  chrematizo.    The  translators 


ESTABLISHED  BY  CHRIST  25 

(new  translation)  in  this  case  have  placed  the  words  "of 
God"  in  italics,  thereby  saying  to  us  all  that  they  did  not 
find  them  in  the  original;  but  the  translators  evidently 
thought  the  wise  men  had  been  warned  "of  God"  in  the 
dream,  or  they  would  not  have  inserted  the  words.  It 
would  require  courage  to  say  that  the  wise  men  did  not 
have  the  same  opinion.  Matthew  evidently  considered 
that  the  actor  in  the  word  chreinatizo  was  God,  though 
God  is  not  mentioned  save  by  the  word  chrematizo.  God 
chrematized  the  wise  men  not  to  return  to  Herod. 

2.  Matthew  2 :  22 :  "But  when  he  (Joseph)  heard  that 
Archelaus  was  reigning  over  Judea  in  the  room  of  his 
father  Herod,  he  was  afraid  to  go  thither;  and  being 
warned  (of  God)  in  a  dream,  he  withdrew  into  the  parts 
of  Galilee."  In  this  case,  also,  "warned  of  God"  repre- 
sents the  Greek  word  chrematizo.  As  in  the  former  case, 
the  words  "of  God"  are  in  italics.  The  translators  are 
right  in  their  opinion  that  it  was  God  that  chrematized 
Joseph.  Who  gave  him  the  dream,  if  not  God,  according 
to  the  tenor  of  the  story?  And  yet  God's  action  is  not 
declared  in  any  one  word,  save  by  the  word  chrematizo. 

3.  Luke  2 :  26 :  "And  it  had  been  revealed  unto  him  by 
the  Holy  Spirit,  that  he  should  not  see  death  before  he 
had  seen  the  Lord's  Christ."  The  words  "had  been 
revealed"  here  represent  chrematizo.  God's  action  is  here 
distinctly  stated  otherwise  than  by  the  word  chrematizo; 
for  the  words  "Holy  Spirit"  are  in  the  original  as  well  as 
English.    Hence  God  chrematized  Simeon. 

In  these  three  cases  we  have  no  other  actor  or  agent 
bound  up  in  the  word  chrematizo  but  God. 

4.  Acts  10 :  22 :  "And  they  said,  Cornelius,  a  centurion, 
a  righteous  man,  and  one  that  feareth  God,  and  well 
reported  of  by  all  the  nation  of  the  Jews,  was  warned  (of 
God)  by  a  holy  angel  to  send  for  thee  into  his  house." 
The  words  "warned  of  God"  represent  the  Greek  word 
chrematizo.  As  in  the  first  two  cases,  the  translators  have 
placed  the  words  "of  God"  in  italics,  as  not  being  in  the 
original;  but  the  English  and  the  Greek  both  mention  a 
holy  angel  as  the  one  that  chrematized  Cornelius;  but 
being  a  holy  angel,  Cornelius  being  a  holy  man,  the  trans- 


26  THE  CHURCH 

lators  thought  that  God  was  the  real  actor,  and  the  angel 
only  the  messenger,  as  the  word  means.  Hence  the 
cfvrematizing  is  by  God. 

In  these  four  cases  God  is  the  chrematizer. 

5.  Romans  7:  1-3:  "Or  are  ye  ignorant,  brethren  (for 
I  gpeak  to  men  who  know  the  law),  how  that  the  law  hath 
dominion  over  a  man  for  so  long  time  as  he  liveth?  For 
the  woman  that  hath  a  husband  is  bound  by  law  to  the 
husband  while  he  liveth;  but  if  the  husband  die,  she  is 
discharged  from  the  law  of  the  husband.  So  then  if,  while 
the  husband  liveth,  she  be  joined  to  another  man,  she  shall 
be  called  an  adulteress."  "Shall  be  called"  represents  the 
Greek  word  chrematizo.  The  authority  that  chrematized 
in  this  case,  it  is  evident,  is  the  law;  but  the  law  is  the 
law  of  God,  as  the  messenger  in  the  last  case  was  the 
messenger  of  God ;  as  in  the  preceding  case  the  dream  was 
a  dream  from  God.  It  is  the  law  of  God  that  called  the 
woman  an  adulteress.  It  gave  her  the  name,  but  it  was 
only  as  the  messenger  of  God.  The  law  was  God's  law; 
hence  it  is  God  who  really  chrematized  the  woman. 

6.  Hebrews  8:5:  "Even  as  Moses  is  warned  (of  God) 
when  he  is  about  to  make  the  tabernacle :  for.  See,  saith  he, 
that  thou  make  all  things  according  to  the  pattern  that 
was  showed  thee  in  the  mount."  In  this  case  "is  warned 
of  God"  represents  the  Greek  word  chrematizo.  As  before, 
the  translators  have  put  the  words  "of  God"  in  italics. 
Their  using  the  words  "of  God"  shows  that  they  believed 
that  God  was  the  one  that  warned  Moses.  Such  was  the 
fact.  Read  Exodus  25 :  40 :  "And  see  that  thou  make  them 
after  their  pattern,  which  hath  been  showed  thee  in  the 
mount."  Exodus  25 :  1 :  "And  the  Lord  spake  unto  Moses." 
Thus  it  is  positive  that  God  was  the  person  who  warned 
Moses.    God  is  the  chremxitizer  as  a  matter  of  fact. 

7.  Hebrews  11:7:  "By  faith  Noah,  being  warned  (of 
God)  concerning  things  not  seen  as  yet,  moved  with  godly 
fear,  prepared  an  ark  to  the  saving  of  his  house."  In  this 
case  "warned  of  God"  represents  the  Greek  word  chrema- 
tizo, and  again  the  translators  have  put  the  words  "of 
God"  in  italics.  As  before,  they  believed  that  it  was  a 
fact  that  Noah  was  warned  of  God.    The  translators  were 


ESTABLISHED  BY  CHRIST  27 

right  as  to  the  fact.  Read  Genesis  6 :  13 :  "And  God  said 
unto  Noah,  ....  Make  thee  an  ark  of  gopher  wood." 
Hence  God  is  undoubtedly  the  one  who  warned  Noah,  and 
we  arrive  at  the  old  conclusion  that  God  was  the  chrema- 
tizer;  God  is  the  one  that  ch/retnatizes. 

8.  Hebrews  12 :  25 :  "For  if  they  escaped  not,  when  they 
refused  him  that  warned  them  on  earth,  much  more  shall 
not  we  escape,  who  turn  away  from  him  that  warneth 
from  heaven."  "Warned"  represents  the  Greek  word 
chrematizo.  The  person  that  warned  was  Moses.  But 
the  warnings  of  Moses  derived  their  influence  from  the 
fact  that  he  was  recognized  as  the  messenger  of  God. 
When  Moses  warned  them  not  to  touch  the  mountain,  he 
did  it  all  at  the  command  of  God.  He  was  only  another 
angel  of  God,  earthly  angel  it  is  true,  but  still  God's 
angel,  and  if  the  people  refused  him  or  disobeyed  him, 
they  escaped  not,  because  it  was  really  God's  warning 
which  they  refused  to  obey.  The  escape  was  denied  them 
because  they  refused  God's  messenger.  Moses'  law  was 
the  law  of  God.  Its  sanctions  of  death  were  imposed  by 
God.  His  commands  of  prohibition  were  divine.  Moses 
made  all  things  after  the  pattern  showed  him  in  the  moun- 
tain; not  only  in  the  form  and  arrangements  of  the 
tabernacle,  but  in  the  commandments,  prohibitions,  and 
penalties  of  the  law,  and  the  warning  was  thus  God's 
warning;  hence,  in  this  case  also,  God  is  the  chrematizer. 

9.  Romans  11:  4:  "But  what  saith  the  answer  of  God 
unto  him?  I  have  left  for  myself  seven  thousand  men, 
who  have  not  bowed  the  knee  to  Baal."  The  words  "an- 
swer of  God"  represent  the  Greek  word  chrennatism.  The 
translators  did  not  consider  it  necessary  to  put  the  words 
"of  God"  in  italics;  but  the  idea  "of  God"  is  no  more 
contained  in  the  word  chrematism  than  in  the  word  chre- 
matize.  ChrematisTn  means  answer  of  God,  warning  of 
God,  calling  of  God,  the  speaking  of  God,  undoubtedly. 
(1  Kings  19:  18.)  If  the  divine  agency  rests  in  the  noun, 
it  certainly  has  a  habitation  in  the  verb  also.  It  is  really 
in  both. 

This  is  the  word  chrematize  that  is  found  in 

Acts  11 :  26,  and  if  God  chrematized  in  the  refer- 


28  THE  CHURCH 

ences  above  given,  we  are  forced  to  the  conclusion 
that  He  chrematized  the  Disciples  Christians,  and 
so  they  were  really  named  by  divine  authority. 
Joseph  was  a  man  whom  God  wanted  to  warn — to 
chrematize.  He  caused  him  to  dream  a  dream  in 
which  he  received  the  warning.  Who  warned 
Joseph  to  flee  into  Egypt?  God.  Here  is  a  body 
of  believers  in  Jesus  Christ.  To  this  body  of 
believers  God  had  promised  a  new  name.  And 
the  disciples  were  called — chrematized — Chris- 
tians, first  in  Antioch.  Who  chrematized  them? 
God.  Doctor  Adam  Clark,  whose  scholarship 
would  not  be  questioned,  says  of  Acts  11 :  26 : 
"The  original  word  here  means  to  appoint,  warn, 
or  nominate."  Who  has  the  right  to  appoint,  or 
nominate,  a  name  for  the  followers  of  Jesus 
Christ?  He  who  promised  the  new  name,  and  He 
alone.  Albert  Barns,  whose  technical  scholarship 
has  never  been  questioned,  says  on  Acts  11:  26: 
"The  original  word  means  to  be  divinely  admon- 
ished, and  it  cannot  be  denied  that  the  usual 
meaning  in  the  New  Testament  is  that  of  divine 
communication."  How  strange  it  is  that  men  of 
scholarship  will  say  that  the  warning  to  Joseph, 
and  the  information  to  Simeon,  and  the  instruc- 
tion to  Cornelius,  came  from  God,  but  that  the 
name  Christian  came  from  the  enemies  of  God, 
and  that  too  when  the  same  word  is  used  in  each 


ESTABLISHED  BY  CHRIST  29 

case.  If  God's  authority  is  found  in  one  of  the 
references  given  above,  it  is  found  in  all  of  them, 
and  we  must  conclude  that  the  new  name,  the 
promised  name,  was  given  by  divine  authority  to 
the  disciples  at  Antioch.  About  the  name  given 
the  disciples  it  may  be  said : 

It  Would  Be  a  Name  That  Would  Include  All 
the  Followers  of  Jesus  Christ. 

The  name  Christian  is  the  only  name  that  is  all 
inclusive.  There  would  be  many  believers  who 
would  hold  immersion  to  be  the  only  mode  of 
baptism.  The  name  must  include  them.  There 
would  be  many  who  would  believe  in  sprinkling  as 
a  mode  of  baptism.  The  name  must  include  them. 
There  would  be  many  followers  of  Christ  who 
would  not  believe  in  any  mode  of  water  baptism, 
and  the  name  must  include  them  also ;  and  so  with 
every  other  variety  of  intellectual  conception  of 
God  and  of  duty. 

The  Name  Would  not  Only  Include  All  the  Fol- 
lowers of  Christ,  hut  All  the  Elements  of  Chris- 
tian Character  as  Well. 

No  human  name  does  this,  nor  can  any  human 
name  be  found  that  will  do  it.  When  you  speak 
the  word  Baptist  you  do  not  think  so  much  of  the 
elements  of  Christian  character  as  you  do  of  a 


30  THE  CHURCH 

mode  of  baptism.  What  is  true  of  that  name  is 
true  of  eveiy  other  human  name.  Here  is  a  man 
who  never  heard  of  America.  I  tell  him  of  its 
history,  its  civilization,  its  character,  and  its  gen- 
ius, and  inform  him  that  I  was  born  in  America, 
and  am  a  believer  in  the  life  and  character  of 
the  American  government.  What  would  he  call 
me?  Most  certainly  he  would  call  me  an  Amer- 
ican. He  would  not  call  me  a  Mason,  nor  an  Odd 
Fellow,  nor  a  Democrat,  nor  a  Republican,  nor  a 
Blacksmith,  nor  a  Merchant — he  would  think  of 
me,  and  speak  of  me,  as  an  American.  Here  is  a 
man  who  never  heard  of  Christ.  I  tell  him  of  the 
Christ,  and  of  the  Christianity  He  established.  I 
tell  him  how  Christ  was  God's  gift  to  men,  and 
how  He  sought  a  following  from  men,  and  how 
He  appealed  to  men  to  believe  in  Him,  and  that  I 
am  a  believer  in  Him,  and  a  follower  of  His,  that 
I  have  been  born  into  His  kingdom,  am  a  partaker 
of  His  nature,  and  am  His.  What  would  He  call 
me?  If  he  knew,  and  spoke,  the  English  language, 
he  would  call  me  a  Christian.  Most  certainly  he 
would  not  call  me  a  Baptist,  nor  a  Methodist, 
nor  a  Presbyterian,  nor  any  other  human  name, 
but  he  would  think  of  me,  and  speak  of  me  as  a 
Christian. 


ESTABLISHED  BY  CHRIST  3I 

The  Name  Would  Distinguish  the  Followers  of 
Christ  From  the  World,  but  not  From  Each 
Other. 

Men  are  free  to  admit  that  the  name  Pharisee 
and  the  name  Sadducee  separated  men  from  each 
other,  but  they  are  unwilling  to  admit  that  the 
human  names,  now  given  to  bodies  of  believers, 
do  the  same  thing.  But  they  do.  The  name  of 
Christ  was  the  dividing  name  during  His  days  on 
the  earth,  and  it  is  the  dividing  name  to-day.  It 
is  not  the  name  that  divides  His  followers  into 
sects,  but  the  name  that  divides  His  followers 
from  the  world,  and  just  so  far  as  it  divides  His 
followers  from  the  world  does  it  unite  His  fol- 
lowers in  "the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of 
peace." 

It  Would  Be  a  Name  That  Would  Include  and 
Express  the  Believer's  Union  With  Christ. 

The  name  Nazarene  would  not  do,  for  that 
would  localize  the  believers,  as  the  name  Amer- 
ican, or  German,  localizes  the  inhabitants  of  these 
countries.  The  name  Disciple  would  not  answer, 
for  the  reason  that  Plato  and  Gamaliel,  and  others, 
had  disciples.  The  name  Christian  does  include 
the  believer's  union  with  Christ,  for  it  includes  the 
whole  name  of  Christ.  The  Christian  is  a  partaker 
of  the  divine  nature,  and  thus  the  union  is  assured. 


32  THE  CHURCH 

The  Name  Would  Most  Certainly  Honor  Christ. 

God  was  most  careful  to  always  honor  His  Son. 
On  the  occasion  of  His  baptism,  He  said :  "This  is 
my  beloved  Son  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased."  On 
the  occasion  of  the  transfiguration  He  said :  "This 
is  my  well  beloved  Son ;  hear  ye  Him."  And  Paul 
declared  that  he  bowed  the  knees  unto  the  Father 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  "from  whom  every  fam- 
ily in  heaven  and  on  earth  is  named."  Yes,  God 
would  honor  His  Son,  and  He  has  done  it  in  nam- 
ing His  followers  for  Him. 

Now  when  a  number  of  Christians  come  togeth- 
er in  church  covenant  and  fellowship,  they  of 
necessity  form  a  Church ;  that  Church  is  a  Chris- 
tian Church,  and  any  other  name  that  may  be 
given  to  it,  except  one  that  will  localize  and  differ- 
entiate it  as  to  location,  is  unwarranted  as  well  as 
unbiblical. 

The  Church  Has  Two  Divine  Ordinances — Bap- 
tism and  the  Lord's  Supper. 

Jesus  Christ  in  commissioning  His  disciples  to 
preach,  also  commissioned  them  to  baptize.  If  the 
preaching  is  divinely  authorized,  so  is  the  bap- 
tizing, and  Paul,  in  speaking  of  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per very  distinctly  says:  "For  I  received  of  the 
Lord  that  which  also  I  delivered  unto  you,  that 


ESTABLISHED  BY  CHRIST  33 

the  Lord  Jesus  in  the  night  in  which  He  was 
betrayed  took  bread;  and  when  He  had  given 
thanks,  He  brake  it,  and  said,  This  is  my  body, 
which  is  for  you :  this  do  in  remembrance  of  me. 
In  like  manner  also  the  cup,  after  supper,  saying. 
This  cup  is  the  new  covenant  in  my  blood:  this 
do,  as  often  as  ye  drink  it,  in  remembrance  of  me. 
For  as  often  as  ye  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  the 
cup,  ye  proclaim  the  Lord's  death  till  He  come. 
Wherefore,  whosoever  shall  eat  the  bread  or  drink 
the  cup  of  the  Lord  in  an  unworthy  manner,  shall 
be  guilty  of  the  body  and  the  blood  of  the  Lord. 
But  let  a  man  prove  himself,  and  so  let  him  eat  of 
the  bread,  and  drink  of  the  cup.  For  he  that  eat- 
eth  and  drinketh,  eateth  and  drinketh  judgment 
unto  himself,  if  he  discern  not  the  body."  1  Cor. 
11:23-29. 

I  think  it  should  be  said  in  this  connection,  that 
baptism  is  not  to  make  one  a  Christian,  but  should 
be  accepted  because  one  is  a  Christian.  Jesus 
Christ  was  as  much  the  Son  of  God  before  He 
was  baptized,  as  He  was  afterward.  He  was  bap- 
tized not  to  make  Him  a  Son,  but  because  He  was 
a  Son;  and  believers  should  be  baptized,  not  to 
make  them  Christians,  but  because  they  are  Chris- 
tians. 


34  THE  CHURCH 

The  Church  Has  a  Divine  Commission. 

This  divine  commission  is  first  to  gather  in,  and 
then  to  send  out.  Jesus  invited  all  people  to  come 
unto  Him,  and  then  He  commissioned  all  people 
who  came  unto  him  to  go  out  and  tell  the  story 
of  His  love.  First  come,  then  go,  is  the  divine 
order. 

The  Church  Has  the  Divine  Assurance  of  a 
Glorious  Triumph. 

The  question  so  often  asked  by  ministers,  and 
by  laymen,  too,  "What  is  the  matter  with  the 
Church?"  should  never  be  asked  again.  There  is 
absolutely  nothing  whatever  the  matter  with  the 
Church.  Jesus  Christ  is  building  it,  and  it  is  just 
as  proper  to  criticize  the  builder  as  it  is  to  criticize 
his  building.  When  we  criticize  the  work,  we 
criticize  the  workman.  There  may  be  many 
things  wrong  with  men,  and  with  organizations, 
but  with  the  spiritual  brotherhood,  that  mystic 
body  of  Jesus  Christ,  there  can  be  nothing  wrong, 
or  else  the  divine  Lord  is  at  fault  in  the  matter 
of  His  plans,  and  in  the  manner  of  His  execution 
of  them.  Christ  said  He  would  build  His  Church 
and  the  gate  of  Hades  should  not  prevail  against 
it,  and  He  will  do  all  that  He  has  said.  He  said 
to  His  disciples,  "Fear  not,  little  flock,  for  it  is 
your  father's  good  pleasure  to  give  you  the  king- 


THE  LOCAL  CHURCH  35 

dom,"  and  He  will  keep  His  word.  The  prophecy 
of  the  little  stone  cut  from  the  mountainside,  that 
filled  the  whole  earth,  is  to  be  fulfilled,  and  the 
kingdoms  of  this  world  are  to  become  the  kingdom 
of  our  Lord  and  His  Christ. 

From  the  rocky  isle  of  Patmos,  John  saw  the 
Church  Triumphant ;  he  heard  the  redeemed  sing ; 
he  saw  their  white  robes;  he  looked  upon  their 
crowns  of  glittering  gold;  he  caught  glimpses  of 
their  heavenly  beauty;  he  beheld  them  as  they 
encircled  the  great  white  throne,  singing  the  song 
of  the  redeemed;  and  he  said,  "Innumerable!  no 
man  can  number  them."  It  was  the  Church  that 
Jesus  Christ  had  built  upon  the  Rock  of  Ages, 
and  was  presenting  to  Himself,  a  glorious  Church, 
not  having  spot  or  wrinkle  or  any  such  thing. 

That  is  the  Church  into  which  I  was  born  by 
repentance  toward  God,  and  faith  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  The  angel  recorded  my  name  in 
the  Lamb's  Book  of  Life,  and  then  I  united  with 
a  local  congregation,  where  my  name  is  recorded, 
and  with  which  I  co-operate  in  the  activities  of 
the  people  of  God. 


THE  LOCAL  CHURCH 

The  fact  and  the  identity  of  the  local  Church 
are   recognized   and   spoken   of  throughout  the 


36  THE  CHURCH 

entire  New  Testament  scriptures.  There  was  a 
Church  at  Jerusalem,  and  one  at  Antioch,  one  at 
Cenchrese,  one  at  Corinth,  one  at  Ephesus,  one  at 
Smyrna,  one  at  Pergamos,  one  at  Thyatyra,  one 
at  Sardis,  one  at  Philadelphia,  one  at  Laodicea; 
and  others  are  mentioned  as  having  their  exist- 
ence and  holding  their  worship  in  private  houses. 
(1  Cor.  16:19.) 

All  the  warnings,  rebukes,  counsels,  and  encour- 
agements of  the  New  Testament  scriptures  are 
addressed  to  the  churches  as  independent  units, 
each,  as  such,  being  responsible  to  God. 

These  local  Churches  may  unite,  federate,  and 
combine  until  they  become  world-wide,  but  they 
can  never  lose  their  individual  and  independent 
identity  and  character. 

THE  CHURCH  AT  JERUSALEM  THE  MODEL 

There  was  a  time  when  the  whole  Church — the 
only  Church — that  had  a  visible  existence  was  at 
Jerusalem,  and  it  may  be  concluded  that  it  would 
be  made  the  model  Church  in  all  the  essential 
fundamentals  of  Church  life. 

Some  of  the  apostles  were  present  during  their 
entire  lifetime,  so  that  when  any  matter  came  up 
for  consideration,  or  for  apostolic  definition,  they 
were  there  to  render  judgment  and  to  give  assist- 
ance, thus  making  the  Church  at  Jerusalem  model 


THE  LOCAL  CHURCH  37 

and  effective  in  all  its  relations  to  the  Kingdom  of 
God. 

The  Following  Things  are  Mentioned  of  That 
First  Church. 

1.  The  members  continued  steadfast  in  the 
apostles'  teaching  and  doctrine. 

2.  The  members  continued  steadfast  in  fellow- 
ship, in  the  breaking  of  bread  and  in  prayer. 

3.  The  members  chose  a  competent  number  of 
deacons,  two  of  whom  became  evangelists. 

4.  The  members  recognized  the  presence  and 
authority  of  the  apostles. 

5.  The  members  so  far  as  known  chose  their 
own  bishop,  or  pastor. 

6.  The  members  were  thoughtful  of  the  claims 
of  each  other. 

7.  The  members  consecrated  their  possessioav 
along  with  the  consecration  of  themselves. 

8.  The  whole  Church  was  evangelistic  in  char- 
acter, in  tone,  and  in  conduct. 

The  Rights  and  Duties  of  the  Church  at  Jeru^a^ 
lem  Are  the  Rights  and  Duties  of  the  Local 
Church  Anywhere. 

We  may  conclude  with  absolute  certainty  that 
the  Church  at  Jerusalem  continued  steadfast  in 
the  apostles'  teaching,  and  doctrine,  and  fellow- 


38  THE  CHURCH 

ship,  and  in  the  breaking  of  bread  and  in  prayer 
as  a  matter  of  duty,  and  that  as  a  matter  of  duty 
it  selected  and  ordained  the  seven  deacons,  and  as 
a  matter  of  duty  it  recognized  the  presence  and 
authority  of  the  apostles.  The  same  is  true  of  all 
else  that  it  did ;  and  we  may  conclude  with  unques- 
tioned assurance  that  what  was  the  right  and  duty 
of  the  Church  at  Jerusalem,  is  the  right  and  duty 
of  the  Church  anywhere.  All  that  inhered  in  the 
Church  at  Jerusalem  inheres  in  the  local  Church 
anywhere.  What  the  Church  at  Jerusalem  did  the 
Church  at  Corinth,  and  the  Church  at  Antioch, 
and  the  Church  at  Thyatyra,  and  the  Church  at 
Pergamos,  and  the  Church  at  Sardis,  and  the 
Church  at  Philadelphia,  and  the  Church  at  any 
other  place  had  a  right  to  do.  Now  it  is  equally 
certain  that  what  was  true  of  the  Church  at 
Jerusalem  in  this  respect  was  true  of  the  Church 
at  Antioch,  and  Corinth,  and  all  the  others,  and  it 
is  true  of  all  the  local  churches  to-day.  The 
Church  at  Antioch  may  have  been  very  much 
like  the  Church  at  Jerusalem,  but  in  no  sense 
was  it  subservient  to  it,  nor  did  the  Church  at 
Jerusalem  ever  try  to  exercise  any  authority  over 
it  or  over  any  other  Church  of  that  time.  All  the 
churches  organized  by  the  apostles  were  distinct, 
independent  bodies.     Each  Church  managed  its 


THE  LOCAL  CHURCH  39 

own  affairs,  absolutely  independent  of  every  other 
Church  and  never  recognized  any  human  control 
or  authority  outside  of  itself.  There  was  nowhere 
an  association  of  churches  under  one  common 
ecclesiastical  judicatory.  Jesus  Christ  intended 
that  His  followers  should  form  themselves  into 
churches  (not  sects)  and  when  in  Matthew  18 :  17, 
He  says,  "Tell  it  unto  the  Church,"  He  has  in 
mind  the  local  Church  in  the  place  where  the 
offense  was  committed.  In  this  final  appeal  of 
the  aggrieved  party  it  cannot  be  supposable  that 
the  whole  body  of  believers  could  be  gotten 
together.  The  Church  mentioned,  therefore,  must 
mean  the  local  congregation.  In  the  case  of  the 
licentious  man,  Paul  refers  both  the  exclusion 
and  the  restoration  to  the  whole  Church  (1  Cor. 
5:  1-5;  2  Cor.  11:  4,  5).  He  directs  the  Church 
at  Corinth,  when  "gathered  together"  to  "put 
away  the  wicked  man  from  among  yourselves," 
and  afterward  this  punishment,  which  was 
inflicted  of  many  was  to  be  remitted  by  the  same, 
when  the  offender  had  repented.  Thus  also,  he 
directs  the  Church  at  Rome  to  "mark  them  that 
are  causing  the  divisions  and  occasions  of  stum- 
bling and  "turn  away  from  them."  The  Lord  in 
His  epistles  to  the  seven  churches  of  Asia,  clearly 
holds  each  Church  as  such  wholly  responsible  for 


40  THE  CHURCH 

its  doctrine  and  its  discipline;  but  had  these 
churches  been  recognized,  Episcopally  or  Presby- 
terially,  the  rebukes  for  unsound  doctrine  and  life 
would  have  been  directed  to  the  session  or  the 
presbytery  or  to  the  bench  of  bishops,  and  not 
as  they  are  to  the  local  independent  congregations. 
There  is  not  to  be  found  in  all  New  Testament 
history  a  single  example  of  a  Church  subordi- 
nating itself  to  an  organization  outside  itself ;  but 
in  all  the  counsels,  in  all  the  rebukes,  in  all  the 
warnings,  in  all  the  encouragements,  each  one  is 
recognized  as  independent  and  accountable  only  to 
God.  The  fact  that  the  Church  at  Jerusalem  had 
chosen  seven  deacons,  did  not  obligate  the  Church 
at  Antioch  to  choose  seven.  That  the  Church  at 
Antioch  should  have  deacons  comes  within  the 
necessities  of  its  life  and  activities,  but  the  num- 
ber is  quite  a  different  thing,  which  illustrates 
the  independence  of  the  local  Church  in  all  mat- 
ters pertaining  to  its  own  life  and  activities.  It 
seems  conclusive  that  each  Church  of  the  Chris- 
tians which  meets  in  one  place  for  religious  wor- 
ship, and  for  the  carrying  forward  of  matters 
pertaining  to  the  Kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ,  is  a 
complete  Church  within  itself,  and  as  such  is 
supreme  in  its  own  domain.  Having  entered  into 
a  covenant  of  faith  it  has  the  right  and  the 


THE  LOCAL  CHURCH  41 

authority  to  perform  anything  and  everything 
pertaining  to  itself  in  matters  of  government,  in 
matters  of  business,  in  matters  of  worship,  in 
matters  of  finance,  indeed  in  all  matters  pertain- 
ing to  its  own  life  and  labors  and  in  no  sense  is 
it  accountable  to  any  other  Church  for  its  doctrine 
or  its  conduct,  even  though  the  other  Church  be 
of  "the  same  faith  and  order."  There  is  no 
evidence  whatever  that  the  primitive  churches 
were  national,  or  even  provincial.  There  were 
churches  in  the  province  of  Asia  Minor,  of  Gala- 
tia,  of  Judea,  of  Samaria,  and  of  others,  too,  but 
not  one  word  is  recorded  that  would  lead  us  to 
suppose  that  these  churches  were  in  any  sense 
provincial  in  any  of  the  localities  in  which  they 
were  found. 

It  seems  conclusive  also  that  in  the  primitive 
churches,  instead  of  one  bishop  ruling  over  more 
than  one  Church,  sometimes  more  than  one  bishop 
was  in  charge  of  a  single  Church. 

The  Church  at  Jerusalem  met  at  one  time  and 
at  one  place  for  worship,  so  did  the  Church  at 
Antioch,  so  did  the  Church  at-  Corinth,  so  did  all 
the  other  churches  of  that  time  and  so  they  do 
to-day,  so  they  should  have  done,  and  so  they 
should  continue  to  do.  It  seems  quite  conclusive 
that  each  of  these  churches  was  independent  of 


42  THE  CHURCH 

each  and  all  the  others.  No  other  Church,  no 
matter  where  located,  no  matter  how  rich  or  influ- 
ential, had  any  right  whatsoever  to  assume  arbi- 
trary authority  over  another,  no  matter  how  small 
in  membership,  or  poor  in  purse  that  other  one 
might  have  been.  Each  one  of  these  independent 
units  was  absolutely  supreme  in  its  own  domain, 
and  while  they  exercised  no  authority  over  any 
man's  faith  or  brought  any  compulsory  power  to 
bear  upon  the  conscience  of  any,  they  did  manage 
their  own  affairs  in  the  way  that  approved  itself 
to  them.  Much  and  good  authority  could  be  cited 
outside  the  New  Testament  in  favor  of  the  inde- 
pendence of  the  local  Church  in  the  days  of  the 
apostles.  Gibbon  says,  "The  Societies  which  were 
instituted  in  the  cities  of  the  Roman  Empire  were 
united  only  by  the  ties  of  faith  and  charity. 
Independence  and  equality  formed  the  basis  of 
their  internal  constitution.  Such  was  the  mild 
and  equal  constitution  by  which  Christians  were 
governed,  more  than  a  hundred  years  after  the 
death  of  the  apostles.  Every  society  formed 
within  itself  a  separate  and  independent  repub- 
lic." The  late  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  (Bishop 
Whateley)  says,  "It  appears  plainly  from  the 
sacred  narrative  that  though  the  many  churches 
which  the  apostles  founded  were  branches  of  one 


THE  LOCAL  CHURCH  43 

spiritual  brotherhood,  of  which  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  is  the  heavenly  Head — though  there  was 
one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism  for  all  of  them, 
yet  they  were  each  a  distinct,  independent  com- 
munity on  earth,  united  by  the  common  principles 
on  which  they  were  founded,  and  by  their  mutual 
agreement,  affection,  and  respect ;  but  not  having 
any  one  recognized  head  on  earth,  or  acknowledg- 
ing any  sovereignty  of  one  of  these  societies  over 
others."  Mosheim  says,  the  independence  of  the 
primitive  Church  "is  as  clear  as  noonday." 

It  is  safe  to  conclude  that  the  Scriptures  teach 
that  a  visible  congregation  of  believers  in  Jesus 
Christ,  having  associated  together  in  a  covenant 
of  faith  and  fellowship  in  the  gospel,  remaining 
steadfast  in  the  teachings  and  doctrines  of  the 
apostles  and  in  fellowship  and  in  the  breaking  of 
bread,  and  in  prayer,  and  having  accepted  the 
Holy  Bible  as  the  rule  of  faith  and  conduct,  meet- 
ing at  stated  times  for  worship,  is  a  Christian 
Church  with  all  the  rights,  privileges,  and  duties 
of  the  Church  at  Jerusalem,  and  that  in  the 
domain  of  its  own  life  it  is  absolutely  supreme. 

What  the  Local  Church  Has  no  Right  To  Do. 

1.  It  has  no  right  to  adopt  a  creed,  not  even 
the  Bible.  The  right  to  adopt  the  Bible  as  a 
creed,  implies  the  right  to  reject  it.     The  Bible 


44  THE  CHURCH 

is  not  to  be  adopted,  it  is  to  be  believed  and  prac- 
ticed. There  can  be  no  Church  in  gospel  order 
that  does  not  believe  and  obey  the  gospel,  and 
hence  the  formal  adoption  of  it  is  unwarranted. 

2.  It  has  no  right  to  formulate  a  doctrine. 
The  doctrine  is  written  in  the  Book. 

I  have  often  been  asked  to  preach  on  the  doc- 
trines of  the  people  called  Christians.  To  all  such 
requests  I  have  invariably  replied  that  the  Chris- 
tian Church,  as  such,  has  no  doctrine,  and  more, 
it  has  no  right  to  a  formulated  doctrine  which 
might  exist  by  reason  of  a  vote  of  the  Church. 
The  doctrine  is  of  God.  It  is  older  than  the 
Church.  It  is  written  in  the  Book,  and  it  is  the 
duty  of  the  Church  to  believe  and  practice  the 
doctrine  as  it  finds  it  revealed  in  God's  Book. 
The  doctrine  of  God,  of  Christ,  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
of  repentance,  of  faith,  of  baptism,  of  forgiveness, 
of  justification,  of  sanctification,  of  prayer,  of 
heaven,  of  immortality,  of  rewards  and  punish- 
ment, is  written  in  the  Book.  It  is  of  God,  and 
is  eternal  in  character  and  duration  and  no  man 
or  number  of  men  have  any  right  to  change  one 
"jot  or  one  tittle,"  add  to,  or  take  from,  under 
penalty  of  having  their  names  taken  out  of  the 
Book  of  Life.  With  a  charity  as  broad  as  truth 
itself,  the  Christian  Church  has  stood,  not  for 


THE  LOCAL  CHURCH  45 

formulated  doctrine,  but  for  an  honest  belief  of 
the  doctrine  as  written. 

3.  It  has  no  right  to  appropriate  a  name  except 
for  local  identification.  The  disciples  were  called 
Christians,  and  that  being  the  family  name  the 
only  right  a  local  Church  has,  is  to  adopt  a  name 
that  will  localize  it,  for  example,  Bible  Chapel, 
designates  a  local  Church,  and  distinguishes  that 
Church  from  Center  Grove,  and  is  the  name  of 
the  meeting-house;  but  not  the  name  of  the  con- 
gregation of  Christians  which  worship  within  its 
walls. 

Some  years  ago  a  gentleman  said  to  the  writer, 
and  said  it  quite  sharply  too,  "You  people  have  no 
right  to  appropriate  a  name  to  yourselves  which 
belongs  to  all  the  followers  of  Christ."  I  replied, 
"You  are  right,  my  brother,  and  I  wish  you  would 
repeat  your  declaration."  He  did,  and  with  more 
force  than  at  the  first,  when  I  again  replied,  "You 
are  absolutely  right,  and  I  wish  that  fact  could  be 
made  known  and  emphasized  everywhere." 

"Now,"  said  I,  "seeing  that  we  agree,  will  you 
kindly  answer  a  question  or  two  for  me?"  He 
replied  that  he  would  be  glad  to  answer  as  many 
as  I  cared  to  ask.  I  asked  how  he  got  the  name 
Christian.  He  said,  by  repenting  of  his  sins  and 
exercising  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.    "Then,"  said  I, 


46  THE  CHURCH 

"you  received  the  family  name  by  being  born  into 
the  family."  "Certainly,"  said  he.  "Well,"  said  I, 
"that  is  the  way  I  got  the  same  name."  By 
repentance  toward  God  and  faith  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  I  was  made  alive  in  Jesus  Christ — 
born  into  the  family  of  Christians.  We  both  got 
the  name  in  the  same  way.  "Please  tell  me,"  said 
I,  "how  you  got  the  name  Presbyterian."  He 
smiled  and  said,  "I  guess  we  have  been  doing  the 
appropriating."  I  said,  "You  certainly  have." 
We  never  appropriated  the  name.  We  simply 
refuse  to  appropriate  any  name  no  matter  how 
desirable  or  suggestive  it  may  be.  We  wear  the 
family  name  and  we  wear  no  other. 

4.  It  has  no  right  to  limit  its  fellowship  by  sec- 
tarian tests.  Romans  14 : 1-5.  "But  him  that  is 
weak  in  faith  receive  ye,  yet  not  for  decision  of 
scruples.  One  man  hath  faith  to  eat  all  things: 
but  he  that  is  weak  eateth  herbs.  Let  not  him 
that  eateth  set  at  nought  him  that  eateth  not ;  and 
let  not  him  that  eateth  not  judge  him  that  eateth : 
for  God  hath  received  him.  Who  art  thou  that 
judgest  the  servant  of  another?  to  his  own  lord 
he  standeth  or  falleth.  Yea,  he  shall  be  made  to 
stand;  for  the  Lord  hath  power  to  make  him 
stand.      One    man    esteemeth    one    day    above 


THE  LOCAL  CHURCH  47 

another :  another  esteemeth  every  day  alike.    Let 
each  man  be  fully  assured  in  his  own  mind." 

5.  It  has  no  right  to  enact  rules  that  will  bind 
men's  consciences. 

6.  It  has  no  right  to  a  name  that  includes  all 
the  followers  of  Christ,  if  its  test  of  fellowship 
excludes  some  of  the  followers  of  Christ — indeed 
if  it  excludes  but  one  of  the  followers  of  Christ. 

What  the  Local  Church  Has  a  Right  To  Do. 

1.  To  determine  the  time  and  place  of  its  meet- 
ings for  worship  or  for  business. 

2.  To  arrange  with  a  minister  for  pastoral 
service,  and  to  agree  upon  the  plans  of  service  and 
the  amount  to  be  contributed. 

3.  To  provide  for  the  collecting  of  money  for 
pastoral  or  other  current  expenses. 

4.  To  have  a  choir,  or  congregational  singing, 
or  an  orchestra,  or  all  of  them,  or  none  of  them, 
as  the  Church  may  determine. 

5.  To  organize  an  official  board,  and  appoint 
all  necessary  committees. 

6.  To  create  departments  of  Church  activities, 
and  to  appoint  secretaries  or  superintendents  over 
them. 

7.  To  organize  a  Sunday-school,  a  Christian 
Endeavor  Society,  a  Ladies'  Aid,  a  Men's  Brother- 


48  THE  CHURCH 

hood,  a  Woman's  Missionary  Society,  or  any  other 
organization  which  does  not  do  violence  to  the 
teaching  of  the  Scriptures. 

8.  To  receive  members  and  to  dismiss  them  on 
stated  days,  in  ways  and  by  methods  of  their  own 
choosing,  provided  the  Bible  instruction  is  not 
violated. 

9.  To  determine  the  time  of  prayer-meetings, 
communion  services,  and  other  special  or 
extraordinary  occasions. 

10.  To  determine  the  number  of  deacons 
needed  and  to  ordain  them,  also  to  determine  the 
names  and  number  of  all  other  officers  needed  for 
the  carrying  forward  of  the  work  which  the 
Church  has  undertaken  to  do. 

11.  To  elect  such  officers  for  special  services 
as  may  from  time  to  time  be  needed,  and  to 
appoint  committees  for  the  same  purposes. 

12.  To  determine  the  time  and  to  plan  for  the 
special  evangelistic  meetings  which  the  Church 
may  desire  to  hold. 

13.  To  determine  the  location,  the  size,  the 
style,  and  the  cost  of  its  house  of  worship,  the  time 
of  its  dedication,  and  the  order  of  service. 

14.  To  hear  from  an  offended  brother  of  the 
effort  made  toward  a  reconciliation,  and  to  have 


THE  LOCAL  CHURCH  49 

it  told  to  the  Church  if  he  failed  to  effect  recon- 
ciliation. 

15.  To  carry  out  the  Scriptural  instruction 
to  let  such  an  one  be  to  them  as  an  heathen  man 
and  a  publican. 

16.  To  combine,  unite,  federate,  or  associate 
with  any  number  of  other  local  churches  in  con- 
ference relationship,  or  to  form  an  association  or 
federation  with  other  local  churches  for  agres- 
sive  work  in  the  Kingdom  of  the  Christ. 

17.  Unless  by  joining  a  conference  it  transfers 
its  right  to  the  conference,  it  has  the  right  to 
examine  candidates  for  the  ministry,  and  to  ordain 
them  thereto.  Indeed  that  was  the  usual  way 
among  the  Christian  churches  during  the  early 
years  and  it  is  quite  questionable  whether  the 
right  of  the  local  Church  is  displaced  in  matters 
of  ordination  even  by  its  conference  associations. 

Now  let  me  call  your  attention  to  the  fact  that 
the  things  mentioned  which  the  local  Church  has 
a  right  to  do,  are  the  things  the  local  Church  has 
always  and  ever  been  doing,  and  that,  too,  abso- 
lutely independent  of  all  other  local  churches  or 
an  association  of  them.  From  every  view-point 
from  every  angle  of  observation,  the  local  Church 
is  a  perfect  Church,  with  absolute  rights  and  priv- 
ileges which  cannot  be  limited,  annulled,  added  to, 


50  THE  CHURCH 

or  changed  by  any  other  Church  in  all  the  King- 
dom of  God.  For  myself  I  believe  the  local 
Church  is  absolutely  supreme  in  its  own  domain 
in  all  matters  pertaining  to  its  faith  and  to  its 
practice,  with  an  absolute  and  perfect  right  to 
regulate  its  own  affairs,  independent  of  any  and 
all  other  local  churches  or  any  combination  of 
them.  Of  course  in  so  far  as  it  combines  or  unites 
with  other  churches  in  conference  or  association 
work,  just  so  far  does  it  obligate  itself  for  co-op- 
eration, but  no  further,  and  unless  hindered  by 
the  terms  of  association  has  a  right  at  any  time  to 
withdraw. 

The  local  Church  has  the  right  of  deciding  all 
matters  which  are  not  already  decided  by  Scrip- 
ture. Such  things  as  may  be  determined  by  "Holy 
Writ,"  become  unchangeable  law  to  the  Church. 
As  has  elsewhere  been  stated,  the  time  and  the 
place  of  meeting,  the  order  of  worship  and  all 
business  matters  as  well  as  the  observance  of  the 
ordinances  are  to  be  determined  by  the  local 
Church.  This  right  is  inherent  in  it  as  a  volun- 
tary body,  and  its  exercise  is  recognized  as  a  duty 
by  the  reproofs  administered  to  the  whole  congre- 
gation at  Corinth,  for  disorderly  conduct  at  the 
Lord's  Supper.  Furthermore,  the  epistles  are 
directed  to  local  Churches  thus  plainly,  definitely, 


A  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH  51 

and  forcefully  recognizing  the  right  as  well  as  the 
responsibility  of  each  Church  as  a  congregation 
with  reference  to  conducting  its  own  affairs. 


A  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH 

A  Christian  Church  is  a  congregation  of 
believers  in  Jesus  Christ,  united  in  covenant,  wor- 
shiping together,  associated  in  the  faith  and  in 
the  fellowship  of  the  gospel;  practicing  its  pre- 
cepts, observing  its  ordinances,  recognizing  and 
receiving  Jesus  Christ  as  the  rightful  ruler  and 
supreme  head  of  all;  each  member  taking  the 
Bible  as  his  only  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  and 
dwelling  together  in  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  and 
the  bond  of  peace.  Such  a  body  of  believers  con- 
stitutes the  body  of  Christ — a  spiritual  temple — 
the  pillar  and  ground  of  the  truth.  Such  churches 
are  divinely  instituted,  and  become  the  light- 
bearers  to  the  world;  they  are  ordained  of  God 
for  His  glory  and  the  proclamation  of  His  gospel 
and  the  establishment  of  His  Kingdom ;  they  exist 
for  the  edification  of  the  saints,  the  conversion  of 
sinners  and  the  comfort  of  the  sorrowing.  They 
are  not  to  make  laws,  but  to  obey  and  administer 
the  laws  which  are  written  in  the  New  Testament. 


52  THE  CHURCH 

The  law  is  written  in  the  Book  and  it  should  be 
obeyed  and  administered  by  the  Church,  Now 
such  a  Church  is  single,  separate,  visible,  inde- 
pendent, having  its  own  officers,  its  own  arrange- 
ment for  worship  and  service;  answerable  to  no 
other  Church  and  having  no  authority  over  any 
other  Church ;  it  is  bound  to  and  under  the  law  of 
Christ,  but  otherwise  it  is  independent  of,  and 
free  from  the  control  and  authority  of  all  persons 
other  than  its  own  members. 

Independent,  but  not  Isolated. 

The  local  Church  is  an  independent  unit,  but 
not  an  isolated  unit ;  it  is  a  unit  among  a  multitude 
of  units  which  form  one  great  whole.  No  Church 
can  stand  alone;  churches  are  bound  together 
making  a  community  of  churches  and  the  tie  is 
the  mightiest  which  even  God  can  make. 
Churches  have  a  common  faith;  a  common  rela- 
tionship to  Christ;  a  common  law;  a  common 
experience;  a  common  life;  a  common  hope;  a 
common  service;  a  common  responsibility;  and  a 
common  destiny.  Thus  each  Church  forms  one 
in  the  great  fellowship  of  churches,  all  of  which 
and  each  of  which  is  commonly  effected  in  char- 
acter and  activity.  The  churches  in  any  given 
locality  should  combine  in  conference  relationship 
for  the  purpose  of  carrying  forward  in  a  united 


A  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH  53 

way  that  which  no  Church  could  do  single  handed 
and  alone.  To  thus  combine  is  the  obvious  duty 
of  local  churches,  and  the  purpose  should  be  for 
evangelistic,  missionary,  educational,  and  benev- 
olent work  as  authorized  by  the  Scriptures  or 
approved  by  the  general  judgment  of  the  Confer- 
ence. The  united  effort  of  churches  in  a  stated 
interest  is  clearly  set  forth  by  the  united  effort 
of  the  Gentile  churches  for  the  relief  of  the 
Judean  Christians,  and  the  common  support  of 
Paul  and  other  missionaries,  who  went  forth  to 
labor  in  the  interest  of  the  Kingdom.  A  Confer- 
ence is  composed  of  ministers  and  churches  occu- 
pying a  particular  district  and  is  purely  a  volun- 
tary body;  no  Church  is  compelled  to  unite  with 
it,  and  a  man's  call  to  preach  the  gospel  is  not 
determined  by  it ;  it  has  no  ecclesiastical  authority 
and  holds  the  independence  of  the  Church  in 
matters  of  faith  and  doctrine  inviolate ;  its  ofiicial 
acts  must  be  and  are  strictly  confined  to  the 
objects,  purposes,  and  methods  as  prescribed  by 
its  constitution ;  it  may  offer  a  friendly  hand  and 
Christian  service  to  churches  that  may  be  rent 
and  torn  by  dissention  or  otherwise  troubled,  but 
it  has  no  power  to  discipline  or  dissolve  them ;  it 
can  at  the  last  only  have  them  withdraw  from 
the  Conference,  or  the  Conference  withdraw  from 


54  THE  CHURCH 

them ;  it  has  no  right  or  authority  to  put  a  Church 
on  trial,  or  in  any  way  act  as  a  court  of  review 
except  as  the  character  and  conduct  of  a  Church 
may  effect  its  relation  to  the  Conference.  A 
Church  cannot  delegate  to  another  body  the  rights 
and  functions  which  Christ  has  committed  to  it  as 
such,  and  hence  a  Conference  is  not  a  body  that 
can  in  any  sense  whatever  perform  the  duties  of 
administering  the  ordinances,  disciplining  the 
unruly,  receiving,  or  dismissing  members,  electing 
or  displacing  officers  of  a  local  Church,  or  doing 
any  other  thing  that  falls  to  the  Church  to  do. 
There  is  no  place  in  the  plan  and  economy  of  the 
Church  for  the  Episcopacy.  Both  the  Episcopal 
and  the  Presbyterial  form  of  government  take 
from  the  local  Church  those  rights  and  privileges 
which  were  prominent  and  dominant  in  the  primi- 
tive churches.  In  the  really  Episcopal  form,  the 
ecclesiastical  power  belongs  to  the  priesthood 
which  exists  in  three  orders :  bishops,  priests,  and 
deacons,  who  constitute  a  hierarchy  or  priestly 
government.  This  is  the  form  of  the  Roman  Cath- 
olic Church — in  which  the  pope  is  supreme  bishop. 
The  Presbyterial  form  of  government  is  that 
form  by  which  the  reception  of  members  and  the 
Church  discipline  are  committed  to  the  session 
composed  of  the  pastor  and  elders  elected  by  the 


OFFICERS  55 

congregation,  and  in  which  all  ecclesiastical  acts 
are  subject  to  revision  before  higher  Church 
courts  composed  of  pastors  and  elders  from  many- 
congregations.  The  contention  herein  maintained 
is  that  the  Church  constituted  according  to  the 
New  Testament  is  an  independent  congregation 
of  believers  with  full  right  and  authority  to  decide 
all  matters  concerning  itself,  and  that  its  decisions 
are  not  subject  to  review,  modification,  or  reversal 
by  any  other  body  of  believers. 


OFFICERS  IN  A  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH 

If  the  Church  is  a  divine  institution,  its  officers 
must  be  divinely  authorized  and  appointed.  A 
few  things  should  be  kept  in  mind. 

One       Church  officers  are  by  divine  authority. 

Two  No  human  authority  can  change,  multiply, 
or  abrogate  them. 

Three  Nor  can  the  power  and  right  belonging  to 
Church  officers  be  increased  or  lessened  by 
the  acts  of  men. 

Four  Church  officers  being  divinely  established 
are  to  be  received  as  God's  appointed  ones, 
and  as  such  are  to  be  perpetuated  and 
remain  unchanged  to  the  end  of  time. 


56  THE  CHURCH 

Five  There  are  other  officers  which  are  proper 
and  useful,  but  they  are  of  human  origin 
and  authority  and  may  be  changed, 
increased,  or  discontinued  according  to  the 
varying  exigencies  of  the  Church. 

The  officers  of  the  Church  are  clearly  and  defi- 
nitely named  by  Paul  in  his  letter  to  the 
Ephesians.  "Where  he  ascended  on  high,  *  *  * 
And  he  gave  some  to  be  apostles ;  some,  prophets ; 
and  some  evangelists;  and  some,  pastors  and 
teachers ;  for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  unto  the 
work  of  ministering,  unto  the  building  up  of  the 
body  of  Christ."     (Eph.  4 :  8-13.) 

Paul  also  speaks  of  the  Church  as  having 
"bishops  and  deacons."  (Phil.  1:1.)  (1  Tim.  3 : 
1-13.) 

It  would  not  be  in  keeping  with  the  plan  and 
purpose  of  this  production  to  treat  of  the  char- 
acter or  to  define  the  work  of  the  above  named 
officers ;  but  it  should  be  said  that  quite  evidently 
the  offices  of  apostle  and  prophet  were  temporary, 
and  ceased  with  the  expiration  of  the  necessity  for 
their  service;  and  that  evangelist,  teacher,  and 
preacher,  while  not  essential  to  the  complete 
organization  of  the  Church,  exist  because  of  a 
necessity  for  their  service,  but  certainly  they  can 
have  no  official  authority  in  the  Church.     The 


OFFICERS  57 

Church  as  constituted  by  the  New  Testament  rule 
has  but  two  classes  of  officers — pastors  and  dea- 
cons. It  is  quite  evident  that  in  Scripture  these 
are  the  only  officers  mentioned  whose  qualifica- 
tions and  duties  are  stated  in  connection  with  the 
ordinary  offices  of  the  Church. 

Pastors. — It  seems  conclusive  that  the  terms 
presbyter,  bishop,  pastor,  are  designations  of  one 
office  and  used  interchangeably  throughout  the 
New  Testament.  The  elders  of  the  Church  at 
Ephesus  are  called  overseers.  Paul  in  his  charge 
to  Timothy,  concerning  the  ordination  of  the  class 
of  officers,  speaks  of  them  interchangeably  as 
elders  and  bishops,  and  Peter  exhorts  the  elders 
to  take  the  oversight  or  act  as  bishops  of  the 
flock. 

And  from  Miletus  he  sent  to  Ephesus,  and  called  to  him 
the  elders  of  the  church.  And  when  they  were  come  to 
him,  he  said  unto  them,  Ye  yourselves  know,  from  the  first 
day  that  I  set  foot  in  Asia,  after  what  manner  I  was  with 
you  all  the  time,  serving  the  Lord  with  all  lowliness  of 
mind,  and  with  tears,  and  with  trials  which  befell  me 
by  the  plots  of  the  Jews;  how  I  shrank  not  from  declaring 
unto  you  anything  that  was  profitable,  and  teaching  you 
publicly,  and  from  house  to  house,  testifying  both  to  Jews 
and  to  Greeks,  repentance  toward  God,  and  faith  toward 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  And  now,  behold,  I  go  bound  in 
the  spirit  unto  Jerusalem,  not  knowing  the  things  that 
shall  befall  me  there:  save  that  the  Holy  Spirit  testifieth 
unto  me  in  every  city,  saying  that  bonds  and  afflictions 
abide  me.  But  I  hold  not  my  life  of  any  account  as  dear 
unto  myself,  so  that  I  may  accomplish  my  course,  and 


58  THE  CHURCH 

the  ministry  which  I  received  from  the  Lord  Jesus,  to 
testify  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God.  And  now,  behold, 
I  know  that  ye  all,  among  whom  I  went  about  preaching 
the  kingdom,  shall  see  my  face  no  more.  Wherefore  I 
testify  unto  you  this  day,  that  I  am  pure  from  the  blood 
of  all  men.  For  I  shrank  not  from  declaring  unto  you 
the  whole  counsel  of  God. — Acts  20: 17-28. 

For  this  cause  left  I  thee  in  Crete,  that  thou  shouldast 
set  in  order  the  things  that  were  wanting,  and  appoint 
elders  in  every  city,  as  I  gave  thee  charge;  if  any  man  is 
blameless,  the  husband  of  ona  wife,  having  children  that 
believe,  who  are  not  accused  of  riot  or  unruly. — Titus 
1:5-7. 

The  elders  therefore  among  you  I  exhort,  who  am  a 
fellow-elder,  and  a  witness  of  the  sufferings  of  Christ, 
who  am  also  a  partaker  of  the  glory  that  shall  be  revealed; 
tend  the  flock  of  God  which  is  among  you,  exercising  the 
oversight,  not  of  constraint,  but  willingly,  according  to  the 
will  of  God;  nor  yet  for  filthy  lucre,  but  of  a  ready  mind. 
1  Peter  5: 1,  2. 

And  in  further  testimony  of  the  claim  that 
these  various  terms  designate  but  one  office  we 
cite  the  fact  that  the  qualifications  and  duties 
were  and  are  identical. 

Faithful  is  the  saying.  If  a  man  seeketh  the  office  of  a 
bishop,  he  desireth  a  good  work.  The  bishop  therefore 
must  be  without  reproach,  the  husband  of  one  wife,  tem- 
perate, sober-minded,  orderly,  given  to  hospitality,  apt  to 
teach;  no  brawler,  no  striker;  but  gentle,  not  contentious, 
no  lover  of  money;  one  that  ruleth  well  his  own  house, 
having  his  children  in  subjection  with  all  gravity;  but  if 
a  man  knoweth  not  how  to  rule  his  own  house,  how  shall 
he  take  care  of  the  church  of  God?  Not  a  novice,  lest 
being  puffed  up  he  fall  into  the  condemnation  of  the  devil. 
— 1  Tim.  3:  1-7. 

For  this  cause  left  I  thee  in  Crete,  that  thou  shouldest 
set  in  order  the  things  that  were  wanting,  and  appoint 
elders  in  every  city,  as  I  gave  thee  charge. — Titus  1 :  5. 


OFFICERS  59 

It  may  be  safely  concluded  that  an  elder  was, 

1.  An  aged  person  whether  male  or  female. 

Likewise  ye  younger,  be  subject  unto  the  elder.  Yea,  all 
of  you  gird  yourselves  with  humility,  to  serve  one  another: 
for  God  resisteth  the  proud,  but  giveth  grace  to  the  hum- 
ble.—1  Peter  5 :  5. 

The  elder  women  as  mothers;  the  younger  as  sisters,  in 
all  purity.— 1  Tim.  5 :  2. 

2.  A  member  of  the  Jewish  Sanhedrin  or  a 
presiding  officer  in  a  Jewish  Synagogue. 

Why  do  thy  disciples  trangress  the  tradition  of  the 
elders?  for  they  wash  not  their  hands  when  they  eat 
bread.— Matt.  15 :  2. 

Saying,  The  Son  of  man  must  suffer  many  things,  and 
be  rejected  of  the  elders  and  chief  priests  and  scribes,  and 
be  killed,  and  the  third  day  be  raised  up. — Luke  9 :  22. 

3.  A  patriarch  or  prophet. 

For  therein  the  elders  had  witness  borne  to  them. — 
Hebrews  11 :  2. 

4.  A  Christian  bishop  or  pastor,  one  ordained 
to  preach  the  gospel. 

For  this  cause  left  I  thee  in  Crete,  that  thou  shouldest 
set  in  order  the  things  that  were  wanting,  and  appoint 
elders  in  every  city,  as  I  gave  thee  charge;  if  any  man  is 
blameless,  the  husband  of  one  wife,  having  children  that 
believe,  who  are  not  accused  of  riot  or  unruly. — Titus 
1:5-7. 

The  elders  therefore  among  you  I  exhort,  who  am  a 
fellow-elder,  and  a  witness  of  the  suffering  of  Christ,  who 
am  also  a  partaker  of  the  glory  that  shall  be  revealed; 
tend  the  flock  of  God  which  is  among  you,  exercising  the 
oversight,  not  of  constraint,  but  willingly,  according  to 
the  will  of  God;  nor  yet  for  filthy  lucre,  but  of  a  ready 
mind.— 1  Peter  5:1,  2. 


60  THE  CHURCH 

Briefly  stated  the  duties  of  the  pastor  may  be 
mentioned  in  the  following  order : 

1.  To  direct  the  public  religious  instruction  of 
the  Church  in  the  pulpit  and  all  the  departments 
of  Church  work. 

2.  To  administer  the  ordinances  of  the  Church. 

3.  To  preside  at  all  meetings  of  the  Church 
whether  for  worship  or  for  business. 

4.  To  watch  over  and  develop  the  members 
in  their  personal  experience  and  conduct,  to 
exhort,  reprove,  rebuke  with  all  long-suffering  and 
gentleness.  They  are  in  a  word  the  spiritual 
guides  of  the  churches  over  which  they  preside; 
and  they  should  remember  that  the  powers  and 
duties  belonging  to  the  pastoral  office,  and  exer- 
cised within  the  sphere  of  pastoral  relations  are 
the  functions  devolving  upon  them  by  divine 
authority;  but  they  should  remember,  too,  that 
inasmuch  as  they  received  their  office  through  the 
Church,  if  these  powers  are  abused  or  duties 
neglected,  the  Church  may  take  the  office  from 
them. 

DEACON — THE  ORIGIN  OF  THE  OFFICE 

The  first  deacons  were  not  chosen  by  Christ, 
but  we  should  keep  in  mind  that  they  were 
chosen  by  the  authority  and  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  inspired  apostles,  which  carries  with  it 


OFFICERS  61 

the  same  force  as  though  done  under  the  personal 
direction  of  Christ  Himself.  The  story  of  choos- 
ing and  ordaining  the  first  deacons  is  told  in  the 
sixth  chapter  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  from  the 
first  to  the  sixth  verses  inclusive.  In  this  brief 
story  we  have  set  forth 

The  necessity  of  the  office, 

The  qualifications  of  the  officer, 

The  manner  of  election,  and 

The  method  of  ordination. 

While  it  is  true  that  these  seven  were  not  called 
deacons  in  this  connection,  yet  men  possessing 
these  qualifications,  and  occupying  the  same  posi- 
tions were  so  designated  by  the  New  Testament 
writers,  hence  the  name  need  not  be  questioned. 
The  office  originated  in  two  conditions  of  the 
Church. 

One — The  Temporal  Necessities  of  the  Poor. — 
Jesus  had  always  taken  great  interest  in  the  poor, 
a  fact  well  known  to  the  apostles;  they  had  seen 
His  interest  in  the  poor  people  and  His  care  for 
them.  The  poor  people  not  only  followed  Jesus, 
but  they  joined  the  Church.  There  seems  not  to 
have  been  an  equitable  distribution  of  the  common 
funds  among  the  disciples.  The  Grecians  mur- 
mured against  the  Hebrews,  because  their  widows 
were  neglected  in  the  daily  ministrations.     The 


62  THE  CHURCH 

apostles  who  up  to  this  period  seem  to  have  had 
control  of  the  treasury,  no  longer  had  time  to 
attend  to  the  secular  affairs  of  the  Church.  The 
Church  was  organized  for  worship,  but  not  for 
service.  The  poor  were  there ;  they  must  be  cared 
for  and  the  deaconship  was  the  solution  of  the 
problem.  These  deacons  were  God's  first  ministers 
to  the  poor.  The  Seventy  had  been  sent  to  the  lost 
sheep  of  the  House  of  Israel;  the  apostles  had 
been  commissioned  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the 
whole  world ;  Paul  was  to  be  a  special  messenger 
to  the  Gentiles,  and  the  deacon  was  to  minister  to 
the  poor. 

Two — The  All  Absorbing  Task  of  the  Ministry. 

— These  twelve  men  had  not  been  ordained  to 

secular  service ;  they  were  not  appointed  to  serve 

tables;  they  had  been  commissioned  to  preach, 

and  they  felt  the  divine  limitation  and  sought 

release.    It  is  probable  also,  that  attention  to  this 

part  of  the  work  would  have  created  prejudice 

and  lessened  and  hindered  their  work  in  spiritual 

things.    For  these  reasons  the  Twelve  called  the 

multitude  of  the  disciples  together  and  said : 

It  is  not  reason  that  we  should  leave  the  word  of  God, 
and  serve  tables.  Wherefore,  brethren,  look  ye  out  among 
yourselves  seven  men  of  honest  report,  full  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  and  wisdom,  whom  we  may  appoint  over  this  busi- 
ness. But  we  will  give  ourselves  continually  to  prayer,  and 
the  ministry  of  the  word.     And  the  saying  pleased  the 


OFFICERS  63 

whole  multitude,  and  they  chose  Stephen,  a  man  full  of 
faith  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  Phillip,  and  Nicanor,  and 
Timon,  and  Parmenas,  and  Nicolaus,  a  proselyte  of 
Antioch;  whom  they  set  before  the  apostles;  and  when 
they  had  prayed,  they  laid  their  hands  on  them.  (Acts 
6:1-6.) 

That  a  Church  can  exist  and  be  in  gospel  order 
for  a  time,  without  deacons,  seems  not  to  admit 
of  doubt,  for  the  Church  at  Jerusalem,  previous 
to  the  election  of  the  seven  deacons  mentioned  is  a 
case  in  point ;  but  a  Church  is  not  fully  organized 
until  deacons  are  elected  and  ordained.  Deacons 
are  not  essential  to  the  being  of  a  Church,  but  to 
the  well  being. 

THE  METHOD  OF  CHOOSING  DEACONS 

One.  Chosen  of  the  Church. — "Look  ye  out 
among  yourselves;"  examine;  make  inquiry; 
investigate ;  pry  into,  etc.,  etc.  But  the  emphatic 
injunction  is  found  in  the  words,  "Among  your- 
selves." This  is  a  Church  affair;  do  not  go  out- 
side your  membership ;  this  is  a  matter  in  which 
the  world  hath  neither  part  nor  lot. 

Two. — Chosen  by  the  Church. — It  was  distinct- 
ively a  Church  matter,  and  in  it  the  world  was  not 
to  be  recognized.  The  fact  that  they  were  to  be 
chosen  of  the  Church,  and  by  the  Church,  is  a 
convincing  testimony,  and  conclusive  argument 
in  favor  of  the  independence  of  the  local  Church. 


64  THE  CHURCH 

The  authority  to  choose  from  the  Church  and  by 
the  Church,  involves  the  whole  doctrine  of  the 
independence  of  the  Church.  The  matter  was 
referred  to,  and  acted  upon,  by  the  whole  multi- 
tude of  the  disciples.  There  were  two  methods  of 
election  in  New  Testament  times,  one  by  ballot, 
the  other  by  lot.  The  lot,  as  in  case  of  the  election 
of  Matthias,  was  by  writing  two  names  on  strips 
of  parchment,  perhaps  several  duplicates  of  them, 
and  then  shaken  up;  the  one  first  drawn  out 
decided  the  choice.  It  is  altogether  likely  that  this 
method  was  used  in  electing  the  seven  deacons. 
The  other  method  was  the  ballot,  or  the  stretching 
forth  of  the  hand  in  approval.  When  the  churches 
chose  Titus,  as  mentioned  in  2  Cor.  8 :  19,  this 
method  was  used.  The  word  chosen  in  the  above 
reference  is  from  cheirotoneo,  which  means  to 
stretch  forth  the  hand.  The  same  word  is  used  in 
Acts  14 :  23,  and  is  translated  "ordain"  in  the  com- 
mon version,  but  "appointed"  in  the  Revised.  The 
word  is  a  compound  from  cheir,  the  hand,  and 
teino,  to  vote,  or  choose  by  holding  forth  the  hand. 

THE  REQUIRED  QUALIFICATIONS 

These  men  were  not  to  be  picked  up  in  any  hap- 
hazard way,  but  were  to  be  carefully  chosen,  and 
that,  too,  after  mature  deliberation  and  earnest 
prayer.     The  qualifications,  as  set  forth  in  the 


OFFICERS  65 

New  Testament,  and  in  force  to-day,  are  very- 
definite  and  imperative.  In  addition  to  the 
requirements  mentioned  at  the  time  the  first  seven 
were  chosen,  are  the  ones  mentioned  by  Paul  in 
his  Epistle  to  Timothy.  He  says,  "Deacons  in  like 
manner  must  be  grave,  not  double-tongued,  not 
given  to  much  wine,  not  greedy  of  filthy  lucre; 
holding  the  mystery  of  the  faith  in  a  pure  con- 
science. And  let  these  also  first  be  proved ;  then 
let  them  serve  as  deacons,  if  they  be  blameless. 
Women  in  like  manner  must  be  grave,  not  slan- 
derers, temperate,  faithful  in  all  things.  Let  dea- 
cons be  husbands  of  one  wife,  ruling  their  children 
and  their  own  houses  well.  For  they  that  have 
served  well  as  deacons  gain  to  themselves  a  good 
standing,  and  great  boldness  in  the  faith  which 
is  in  Christ  Jesus."    1  Tim.  3 :  8-13. 

THE  OFFICE  NOT  CONFINED  TO  MEN 

That  women  were  chosen  to  this  sacred  office 
is  too  well  established  by  the  Scriptures  and 
Church  history  to  be  questioned,  and  as  the  limits 
of  this  work  forbid  any  lengthy  discussion  of  the 
matter,  the  reader  must  be  referred,  with  the  few 
references  made,  to  Church  history  for  further 
investigation,  should  he  so  desire.  Phoebe  and 
Priscilla  were  deaconesses,  and  fellow-servants 
with  Paul.    It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  Pliny  put 


66  THE  CHURCH 

two  deaconesses  to  the  torture,  but  the  pagan  was 
compelled  to  acknowledge  that  they  were  faithful, 
even  in  suffering.  Church  historians  are  in  agree- 
ment upon  the  fact  of  their  appointment,  their 
ordination,   and   their   service.      Neander   says: 

Besides  the  deacons,  there  were  appointed  also  deacon- 
esses, for  the  female  portion  of  the  communities,  because 
the  free  access  of  men  to  the  female  sex,  especially  in  the 
East,  where  custom  demanded  so  careful  a  separation  of 
the  sexes,  might  excite  suspicion  and  give  offense.  If  the 
women,  in  conformity  with  their  natural  destination,  were 
excluded  from  the  offices  of  teaching  and  Church  govern- 
ment, yet  the  peculiar  qualifications  of  the  sex  were  now 
claimed,  in  this  way,  as  peculiar  gifts  for  the  service  of 
the  communities.  By  means  of  such  deaconesses  the  gospel 
could  be  introduced  into  the  bosom  of  families,  where, 
owing  to  the  customs  of  the  East,  no  man  could  gain 
admittance.  They  were  also  bound,  as  Christian  Avives 
and  mothers  of  tried  experience  in  all  the  relations  of 
their  sex,  to  assist  the  younger  women  of  the  communities 
with  their  counsel  and  encouragement. 

Dr.  Adam  Clarke  says : 

"There  were  deaconesses  in  the  primitive  Church  whose 
duty  it  was  to  attend  to  the  female  converts  at  baptisms, 
instruct  the  candidates  for  baptism,"  etc.  "It  is  evident 
that  they  were  ordained  to  their  office  by  the  imposition 
of  the  hands  of  the  bishop,"  etc.  "In  the  tenth  or  eleventh 
century  the  order  became  extinct  in  the  Latin  Church ;  but 
continued  in  the  Greek  Church  to  the  end  of  the  twelfth 
century."    Clarke,  on  Rom.  16: 1.    Summerbell,  page  135. 

In  the  summing  up  of  their  duties  we  have  seen 
that  they  visited  the  women  who  had  been 
imprisoned  for  their  faith  in  Jesus  Christ;  that 
they  baptized  their  own  sex,  and  later  on,  when 


OFFICERS  67 

men  baptized  women,  they  dressed  and  redressed 
them  for  and  after  the  baptismal  service. 

THE  DUTIES  OF  THE  DEACON 

Their  duties  were  then,  and  are  now : 

1.  To  have  the  oversight  of  the  poor. 

2.  To  serve  the  tables  of  the  poor. 

3.  To  serve  the  table  of  the  Lord   (the  com- 

munion). 

4.  To  serve  the  table  of  the  minister. 

Of  course  it  must  be  understood  that  these 
duties  are  not  to  be  interpreted  to  mean  that  they 
serve  at  the  tables  of  the  poor,  and  at  the  table 
of  the  minister,  but  rather  that  they  see  that  the 
poor  and  the  minister  have  tables,  and  that  they 
have  something  on  them  to  eat.  In  many  churches 
now  the  office  of  deacon  is  only  nominal  and  in  no 
sense  practical.  In  all  too  many  churches  the 
duty  of  the  deacon  means  nothing  more  than  the 
passing  of  the  emblems  on  communion  days,  by 
which  is  ignored  the  Biblical  requirements,  and 
as  a  rule  the  Church  suffers  greatly  from  its 
action.  The  writer  is  of  the  opinion  that  no  con- 
dition can  exist  that  will  justify  a  Church  in 
departing  from  the  apostolic  order,  or  in  any  way 
neglecting  to  do  things  required  by  the  Bible  in 
the  government  of  its  affairs.  The  apostolic  order 
must  be  established  and  obeyed,  or  the  Church 


68  THE  CHURCH 

cannot  attain  to  apostolic  success  in  spiritual 
things.  No  human  plans,  no  matter  how  wisely 
devised,  or  how  generally  used,  can  be  substituted 
for  the  divine  order  and  government  of  the 
Church,  and  he  who  does  such  things  should  fear 
lest  the  condemnation  of  God  should  come  upon 
him.  The  only  law-maker  for  the  Church  is  its 
builder  and  head.  The  Church  is  not  to  make 
laws,  but  should  obey  and  administer  the  laws,  as 
given  by  Jesus  Christ  in  the  New  Testament.  The 
duties  of  the  deacon  did  not  end,  nor  do  they  end 
now,  when  these  tables  have  been  provided  for. 
The  deacon  is  a  spiritual  officer  of  the  Church,  as 
well  as  a  server  of  tables.  The  word  translated 
deacon,  Diakonas,  is  also  translated  minister, 
servant,  ministers,  servants,  deacon,  deaconess, 
and  bishop.  "But  he  that  is  greatest  among  you 
shall  be  your  servant."  Matt.  23 :  11.  "Paul  and 
Timothy,  servants  of  Christ  Jesus,  to  all  the  saints 
in  Christ  Jesus  that  are  at  Phillippi,  with  the 
bishops  and  deacons."  Philippians  1 :  1.  "What 
then  is  Apollos,  and  what  is  Paul?  Ministers 
through  whom  ye  believed ;  and  each  as  the  Lord 
gave  to  him."  1  Corinthians  3 :  5.  "I  commend 
unto  you  Phoebe  our  sister,  who  is  a  servant  of 
the  church  that  is  at  Cenchrese."  Romans  16 : 1. 
"Not  so  shall  it  be  among  you:  but  whosoever 


OFFICERS  69 

would  become  great  among  you  shall  be  your  min- 
ister." Matthew  20 :  26.  "Whereof  I  was  made  a 
minister,  according  to  the  gift  of  that  grace  of 
God  which  was  given  me  according  to  the  working 
of  his  power."    Ephesians  3 :  7. 

Phillip  was  one  of  the  seven  ordained  deacons, 
and  Phillip  preached  and  baptized,  and  so  far  as 
we  know  without  other  authority  than  that  given 
him  by  the  original  ordination.  This  leads  me  to 
says  that  the  ordinations  of  preachers  and  deacons 
in  the  Christian  Church,  so  far  as  known  to  me, 
are  exactly  alike.  In  the  ordination  of  the  seven, 
the  apostles  enjoined  the  multitude  to  make  the 
selection,  and  when  that  was  done,  the  apostles 
prayed,  and  then  laid  their  hands  upon  them. 
They  did  not  lay  their  hands  upon  them  during 
the  prayer,  as  is  often  done  by  presbyteries  now, 
but  "when  they  had  prayed."  Now  in  that  man- 
ner the  writer  was  ordained  a  minister  of  the 
Word,  and  in  that  manner  has  assisted  in  the  ordi- 
nation of  ministers  and  deacons,  and  were  he  a 
deacon  with  only  the  ordination  of  a  deacon,  he 
would  not  hesitate  to  preach  if  he  could,  nor  would 
he  hesitate  to  baptize  should  he  be  called  upon  to 
do  so,  especially  in  the  absence  of  the  pastor,  or 
minister,  regularly  in  charge.  The  writer  does 
not  think  that  he  oversteps  the  bounds  of  pro- 


70  THE  CHURCH 

priety  when  he  says  that  the  ordination  of  a 
preacher  carries  with  it  the  obligation  upon  his 
part  to  be  true  to  the  Church  that  confers  the  rite. 
When  a  preacher  changes  his  views,  so  as  to 
affect  his  standing  in  the  denomination  which 
ordained  him,  he  is  morally  bound  to  surrender 
his  credentials,  or  withdraw,  according  to  the 
methods  of  the  Church.  To  do  otherwise  is  to 
misrepresent  the  Church  conferring  the  ordina- 
tion, and  do  it  dishonor  and  injury.  Now  what  is 
true  of  the  preacher,  is  true  of  the  deacon.  In 
accepting  the  office  and  submitting  to  ordination, 
the  deacon  lays  himself  under  obligation  to  be 
true  to  the  office  and  the  Church  in  which  he  holds 
it,  and  when  he  can  no  longer  so  do,  he  is  duty 
bound  to  resign  and  surrender  his  credentials  as 
an  officer  of  that  Church.  This  does  not  mean 
that  his  ordination  is  annulled,  that  could  not  be. 
Holy  hands  once  imposed,  are  imposed  for  all 
time,  and  so  the  deacon  is  ordained  for  life,  but 
his  term  of  service  in  any  particular  Church  may 
be,  and  indeed  should  be,  determined  by  a  vote  of 
the  Church.  The  writer  is  an  ordained  minister 
of  the  Word,  and  that  ordination  is  for  life,  but 
the  term  that  he  may  serve  any  particular  Church 
as  pastor  is  not  determined  by  the  ordination,  but 
by  the  will  of  the  Church  which  he  serves.    To 


OFFICERS  71 

illustrate  this  point  the  writer  may  be  pardoned 
a  personal  reference.  Once  when  I  was  in  the 
pastorate  a  brother,  who  had  been  ordained  as  a 
deacon  in  another  Church,  was  received  to  mem- 
bership. Soon  afterward  he  said  to  me,  "I  sup- 
pose that  I  am  now  a  deacon  in  this  Church."  I 
said,  "No,  you  are  not."  "Why,"  said  he,  "I  have 
been  ordained,  and  you  have  taken  me  into  mem- 
bership." "Yes,"  said  I,  "that  is  what  we  have 
done ;  we  have  taken  you  into  membership,  but  we 
have  not  chosen  you  a  deacon  yet,  and  most  cer- 
tainly did  not  by  receiving  you  into  membership." 
Later  on,  he  was  elected  deacon,  but  not  until  the 
Church  was  convinced  of  his  fitness  for  the  place. 
The  number  of  deacons  in  any  one  Church  must 
of  course  be  determined  by  the  size  of  the  mem- 
ship,  the  work  to  be  done,  and  other  considerations 
which  will  appear  to  those  who  have  the  work  in 
hand. 

OTHER  OFFICERS  OF  THE  LOCAL  CHURCH 

So  far,  we  have  dealt  only  with  the  officers 
which  have  Biblical  authority  for  their  existence 
and  service,  but  there  are  other  officers  which 
grow  out  of  the  character  and  conditions  of  the 
Church,  and  the  work  it  has  to  do,  and  while  there 
is  no  Biblical  authority  or  example  for  them,  or 
their  occupants,  there  are  many  and  valid  reasons 


72  THE  CHURCH 

why  they  should  be,  one  of  which  is,  let  all  things 
be  done  decently  and  in  order. 

Clerk. — Each  local  Church  should  have  a  compe- 
tent, faithful  clerk,  who  not  only  attends  the  busi- 
ness sessions  of  the  Church  and  its  Official  Board, 
but  who  keeps  an  accurate  record  of  all  proceed- 
ings of  the  Church,  the  names  of  the  members,  the 
date  of  admission,  the  date  of  baptism,  whether 
admitted  by  letter  or  upon  confession,  date  and 
reason  for  all  dismissals  and  withdrawals, 
together  with  a  brief  history  of  the  Sunday  serv- 
ices, the  attendance,  the  text  of  the  sermon,  the 
name  of  the  preacher,  and  such  notations  as  his 
judgment  approves.  The  clerk  of  the  Church 
should  be  the  connecting  link  between  the  Church 
and  all  individuals  and  organizations  with  which 
the  Church  has  to  do. 

Treas^trer. — Each  local  Church  should  have  a 
treasurer,  who  should  be  chosen  upon  the  facts  of 
his  honesty  in  businesf'.  and  his  efficiency  in  serv- 
ice. Simply  because  one  is  good  is  not  sufficient 
reason  for  electing  one  to  a  place  of  trust  in  the 
house  of  the  Lord. 

Trustees. — The  Common  Law  of  the  land  pro- 
vides that  no  trust  shall  fail  for  the  want  of  a 
trustee,  and  each  local  Church  should  see  to  it  that 


OFFICERS  73 

the  legal  number  of  competent  trustees  are  elected 
in  accordance  with  the  requirements  of  the  state 
laws,  to  whose  care  and  keeping  all  Church  prop- 
erty should  be  entrusted.  In  this  connection  the 
writer  would  like  to  recommend  to  each  and  every 
local  Church  of  the  Christians,  to  deed  its  prop- 
erty in  trust  to  the  Conference  in  which  the 
Church  has  membership. 

DISCIPLINE 

The  word  discipline  is  a  military  term,  and 
refers  to  the  training  of  soldiers  for  service.  It 
does  not  have  to  do  so  much  with  what  we  ordi- 
narily think  when  we  think  discipline,  as  it  does 
with  the  training  of  the  members  of  a  local  con- 
gregation for  service  in  the  Kingdom  of  Jesus 
Christ.  The  life  of  Christ  in  the  soul  must  be 
developed,  and  the  hands  trained  in  service,  and 
the  discipline  of  the  Church  has  to  do  with  this. 
Discipline  includes  all  the  methods  by  which  a 
Church  educates  its  members  for  service,  and 
fits  them  for  heaven;  it  includes  private  instruc- 
tion, the  maintenance  of  the  prayer  and  social 
services,  and  every  other  process  by  which  the 
Church  deals  with  the  souls  of  men.  Evangelism 
and  training  are  the  two  divine  lines  of  Church 
activity,  and  under  discipline  both  of  these  may 
be  included.    Of  course  discipline  in  a  narrower 


74  THE  CHURCH 

sense  denotes  the  action  of  the  Church  with  refer- 
ence to  offenses  committed  by  the  individual  mem- 
ber, either  against  the  Church  as  a  whole,  or  some 
one  or  more  members  of  it,  and  in  the  light  of  the 
above  statement  I  shall  mention : — 

/.  Mutual  Watch-care.  This  is  rather  pre- 
ventive than  disciplinary.  Were  the  members  of 
the  Church  to  watch  over  each  other  in  loving 
tender  care  in  the  earnest  spirit  of  the  religion  of 
their  Lord,  there  would  be  but  few  instances  of 
personal  offense,  and  but  rare  cases  of  individuals 
going  astray.  A  true  Christian  watch-care,  a 
tender  regard  for  each  other's  welfare,  is  the 
highest  development  of  Christian  life,  and  the  best 
service  a  Church  can  render  to  its  members. 
David  said :  "Let  the  righteous  smite  me,  it  shall 
be  a  kindness ;  and  let  him  reprove  me,  it  shall  be 
as  oil  upon  the  head;  let  not  my  head  refuse  it: 
for  even  in  their  wickedness  shall  my  prayer  con- 
tinue." Psalm  141 :  5.  And  Paul  lays  emphasis 
upon  this  beautiful  service  when  he  says: 
"Brethren,  even  if  a  man  be  overtaken  in  any  tres- 
pass, ye  who  are  spiritual,  restore  such  a  one  in  a 
spirit  of  gentleness;  looking  to  thyself,  lest  thou 
also  be  tempted."  Gal.  6 : 1.  "Put  on  therefore, 
as  God's  elect,  holy  and  beloved,  a  heart  of  com- 
passion, kindness,  lowliness,  meekness,  long-suf- 


OFFICERS  75 

fering;  forbearing  one  another,  and  forgiving 
each  other,  if  any  man  have  a  complaint  against 
any ;  even  as  the  Lord  forgave  you,  so  also  do  ye ; 
and  above  all  these  things  put  on  love,  which  is 
the  bond  of  perfectness."  Col.  3 :  12-14.  Even  a 
close  approach  of  the  Church  to  this  grand  ideal 
of  Christian  service  changes  the  atmosphere  of 
the  entire  membership,  and  charges  it  with  vital- 
izing forces  that  become  an  irresistible  influence 
in  developing  human  life  into  the  life  and  charac- 
ter of  Jesus  Christ. 

//.  The  Adjustment  of  Private  and  Personal 
Grievances.  Offenses  seem  inevitable,  even  among 
men  who  profess  to  follow  their  Lord.  The  Mas- 
ter said  they  should  come,  but  pronounced  a  woe 
upon  the  ones  by  whom  they  should  come.  When 
they  do  arise  in  the  membership  of  a  Church, 
there  is  but  one  line  to  follow,  but  one  course  to 
pursue,  and  that  is  clearly  laid  down  in  the  New 
Testament.  "And  if  thy  brother  sin  against 
thee,  go,  show  him  his  fault  between  thee  and  him 
alone:  if  he  hear  thee,  thou  hast  gained  thy 
brother.  But  if  he  hear  thee  not,  take  with  thee 
one  or  two  more,  that  at  the  mouth  of  two  wit- 
nesses or  three  every  word  may  be  established. 
And  if  he  refuse  to  hear  them,  tell  it  unto  the 
Church :  and  if  he  refuse  to  hear  the  Church  also. 


76  THE  CHURCH 

let  him  be  unto  thee  as  the  Gentile  and  the  pub- 
lican." Matt.  18 :  15,  16, 17.  It  should  be  observed 
here  that  if  the  offended  brother  should  fail  in  his 
duty,  then  the  offending  one  is  to  take  the  initiative, 
and  seek  the  interview.  If  this  fails,  then  one  or 
two  judicious  fellow  members  are  to  be  chosen  as 
witnesses,  and  the  whole  case  is  to  be  heard  before 
them.  If  this  should  fail,  then  the  whole  matter 
is  to  be  told  to  the  Church,  the  proof  adduced  and 
the  opportunity  given  for  defense.  Should  the 
offense  be  proven,  the  offender  is  to  make  repara- 
tion, or  no  longer  be  considered  a  member  of  the 
body.  It  should  be  observed  further  that  there  is 
no  substitute,  or  discretionary  rights,  granted  by 
the  divine  law.  The  duty  is  imperative  and  should 
at  once  be  taken  up  and  discharged.  The  one 
object  ever  and  always  to  have  in  mind  is  the  sav- 
ing of  the  brother.  The  Church  and  the  individ- 
ual member  should  always  think  of  what  it  means 
to  lose  a  brother. 

///.  An  Offense  Against  the  Whole  Church. 
Should  an  offense  be  committed  against  the 
Church  it  should  be  dealt  with  in  exactly  the  same 
way  that  individual  offenses  are  handled.  In  case 
of  a  public  offense  against  the  Church,  the  dea- 
cons, representing  the  Church,  should  at  once  see 
the  offending,  or  the  offended  member,  and  should 


OFFICERS  77 

they  fail  to  adjust  the  matter,  then  some  addi- 
tional members  should  go  with  them,  and  should 
that  method  fail  to  bring  about  a  reconciliation, 
then  the  whole  Church  should  hear  of  the  matter 
and  pass  upon  it.  These  are  the  Biblical  ways, 
and  God  always  honors  His  way,  and  certainly 
Jesus  knew  better  than  we  how  to  deal  with 
private  and  public  offenses.  The  Church  that  fol- 
lows His  instruction  does  well,  and  the  Church 
that  fails  to  follow  His  instruction  need  not  expect 
His  help,  or  His  blessing. 

Exclusion  is  the  final  act  of  Church  power.  It 
is  solemn  withdrawal  of  fellowship,  and  the  eras- 
ing of  the  name  from  the  roll  of  members.  This 
act  can  only  affect  the  membership  of  the  individ- 
ual in  the  local  Church.  He  was  born  into  the 
Kingdom,  if  in  at  all,  but  he  was  voted  into  the 
local  membership,  and  by  vote  that  membership 
may  be  discontinued;  but  let  it  be  remembered 
that  no  vote  of  any  local  Church  can  affect  one 
way  or  the  other  the  standing  of  the  individual  in 
the  Kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ.  A  Scriptural  dis- 
cipline administered  in  loving  tenderness  and  sin- 
cerity, is  essential  to  the  welfare  of  the  Church 
and  the  good  of  the  individual,  and  the  Church 
should  never  hesitate  in  the  discharge  of  this 
divinely  authorized  duty.     In  thirty  and  more 


78  THE  CHURCH 

years  of  pastoral  service,  I  recall  one  case  of  disci- 
pline. I  had  in  my  membership  a  brother  who 
had  been  brought  up  in  a  Church  that  had  ways  of 
proceeding  against  an  offender  different  from  that 
of  the  Christians.  He  felt  that  a  brother  had 
offended  him,  and  lodged  with  me,  as  his  pastor, 
the  complaint,  and  asked,  to  have  a  Church  trial. 
I  publically  announced  that  the  trial  would 
occur  on  a  certain  evening,  and  that  the  whole 
Church  would  be  expected  to  be  present.  I  did 
not  need  to  urge  an  attendance.  The  house  was 
filled  at  a  very  early  hour.  After  prayer  I 
announced  the  purpose  of  the  meeting,  and  called 
for  the  brethren  involved  to  come  forward,  which 
they  did.  In  the  presence  of  the  entire  congrega- 
tion I  asked  the  offended  brother  if  he  felt  himself 
aggrieved,  and  if  the  brother  by  his  side  was  the 
offender.  He  answered  very  promptly  and  very 
decidedly,  yes.  I  then  asked  if  he  had  taken  the 
first  step  in  the  proceedings  against  the  offender, 
and  read  to  him  the  instruction  of  Christ  in  the 
matter.  He  said  he  had  not.  I  simply  said  the 
case  is  suspended  until  the  first  step  in  the  pro- 
ceedings is  taken,  and  at  once  pronounced  the 
benediction.  I  never  heard  of  the  matter  after- 
ward, except  that  the  two  men  had  adjusted  their 


OFFICERS  79 

differences  and  became  good  friends  and  fellow- 
servants  in  the  Lord. 

The  following  principles  have  been  set  forth 
thus  far  in  this  discussion. 

First.  That  the  Church  which  Christ  Himself 
is  building  is  His  spiritual  body  on  the  earth,  and 
at  the  last  He  will  present  this  Church  to  Himself, 
a  glorious  Church,  not  having  spot  or  wrinkle  or 
any  such  thing.  In  the  membership  of  this  Church 
is  found  all  the  good  and  the  true,  of  all  ages, 
countries,  climes,  and  conditions  of  men. 

Second.  That  a  local  Church,  or  congregation, 
is  absolutely  independent,  though  vitally  related 
to  all  other  churches  and  congregations  of 
believers. 

Third.  That  a  divine  constitution  of  the 
Church  is  given  in  form  of  government  authorized 
by  Christ. 

Fourth.  That  all  members  of  the  local  Church 
have  equal  rights  and  privileges  in  matters  of 
worship,  and  in  conducting  the  business  affairs 
of  the  congregation. 

Fifth.  That  the  officers  of  the  Church,  as 
authorized  by  the  divine  constitution,  are  pastors, 
called  also  bishops,  presbyters,  elders,  and  over- 


80  THE  CHURCH 

seers,  whose  oversight,  authority,  and  duties  are 
mainly  in  spiritual  things;  and  deacons,  whose 
official  duties  are  chiefly  an  oversight  of  the  tem- 
poral concerns  of  the  Church,  and  in  general  as 
helpers  of  the  pastor.  The  qualifications  for  both 
officers  are  definitely  set  forth  by  Paul  in  his 
letters  to  Timothy  and  to  Titus. 


RECEIVING  MEMBERS  INTO  THE  LOCAL 
CHURCH 

When  one  comes  forward  in  the  public  audience 
and  confesses  Christ,  should  the  Church  be  asked 
to  vote  upon  one's  reception?  Yes,  if  such  a  one 
desires  to  be  enrolled  as  a  member  of  that  partic- 
ular body  of  believers. 

"Repentance  toward  God  and  faith  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,"  brings  one  into  the  Church  that 
Jesus  is  building  upon  the  rock,  and  no  one  is 
voted  into  that  Church.  One  must  be  born  into  it, 
but  being  born  into  the  Church  that  Jesus  Christ 
is  building,  does  not  make  one  a  member  of  any 
local  organization,  and  certainly  such  membership 
is  desirable  and  profitable. 

Here  are  four  or  five  different  congregations  In 
the  same  city.  They  may  all  be  of  the  same  faith 
and  order — all  Christian  churches — and  one  is 


RECEIVING  MEMBERS  81 

born  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  desires  mem- 
bership in  one  of  the  five,  it  seems  to  be  per- 
fectly proper  for  that  local  Church  to  extend  to 
such  applicant  the  blessing  of  membership  by  a 
hearty  vote,  and  a  good  old-fashioned  handshake. 
Such  vote  has  nothing  vi^hatsoever  to  do  with  the 
admission  of  one  into  the  Kingdom  of  God.  We 
mistake  when  we  conclude  that  receiving  one  into 
the  local  Church  is  the  same  as  receiving  one  into 
the  Church  that  Jesus  is  building,  for  with  mem- 
bership in  the  latter  we  have  nothing  whatsoever 
to  do.  The  Lord  adds  to  the  Church  daily  such  as 
are  being  saved.  The  local  Church  holds  the 
supreme  right  in  all  matters  pertaining  to  itself, 
and  nothing  could  be  more  fitting  than  for  such 
Church  to  vote  membership  to  one  who  seeks  it 
and  whose  life  and  conduct  will  harmonize  with 
the  rules  that  govern  that  particular  congregation 
of  believers.  Times  of  meeting,  the  personnel  of 
the  Church  officiary,  the  ability  of  the  minister, 
the  relationship  of  members,  and  many  another 
thing  may  have  to  do  in  deciding  one's  choice  of 
local  membership,  all  of  which  no  doubt  had  been 
previously  determined  by  a  vote  of  the  body,  and 
now  that  it  deals  with  an  addition  to  its  member- 
ship the  logical  thing  to  do  is  to  vote  upon  the 
application. 


82  THE  CHURCH 

If  the  Scriptures  were  silent  (but  they  are  not) 
the  general  practices  among  men  would  suggest 
the  propriety  of  such  expression.  As  far  as 
known  to  the  writer  all  fraternal  organizations 
vote  upon  the  reception  of  members.  A  man 
must  not  only  be  a  mason,  but  he  must  belong  to 
some  local  lodge  of  masons.  The  enrolment  as  a 
member  of  any  particular  lodge  could  not  make 
him  a  mason,  nor  does  the  vote  of  the  lodge  grant- 
ing him  membership  make  him  such,  but  because 
he  is  a  mason  he  seeks  to  be  enrolled.  The  vote 
of  the  local  Church  cannot  make  one  a  Christian, 
nor  will  the  enrolment  of  one's  name  on  any 
ing  him  membership  make  him  such,  but  because 
one  is  a  Christian  one  seeks  such  enrolment 
somewhere  among  some  local  body  of  believers. 

By  such  membership  one  becomes  specifically 
identified  and  acknowledges  his  obligation  and 
responsibility  to  some  locality  and  where  his 
activities  may  be  directed  so  as  to  accomplish  the 
greatest  good  for  the  cause.  When  it  comes  to 
dismissing  one  from  membership  a  vote  is  taken 
and  indeed  voting  is  the  usual  method  of  deciding 
almost  every  question  among  our  churches,  and  an 
exception  to  this  rule  should  not  be  made  when 
one  is  to  be  received  to  membership. 


RECEIVING  MEMBERS  83 

A  careful  study  of  the  question  will  show  that 
Jesus  laid  the  foundation  of  His  Church  on  com- 
mon sense  principles  and  the  world  in  its  organiza- 
tions has  adopted  His  principles  of  government 
and  find  that  they  work  satisfactorily,  and  local 
churches  would  do  well  to  keep  to  the  strait  and 
narrow  way  marked  out  by  the  Master. 

The  fact  that  the  Church  in  any  locality  is  the 
Church  in  its  organized  capacity,  and  a  sovereign 
body  in  itself,  transacting  its  own  business  with- 
out interference  or  dictation  from  any  other 
Church  or  outside  body,  either  preachers  or 
laymen,  is  a  strong  testimony  in  favor  of  its  right 
and  duty  to  receive  by  public  approval  any  who 
might  apply  for  membership. 

The  churches  mentioned  by  Paul  were  not  sim- 
ply promiscuous  gatherings  of  Christians  for 
prayer  and  praise,  but  were  Christians  organized 
for  service,  to  which  the  command  "Let  every- 
thing be  done  decently  and  in  order"  was  given. 
Churches  so  organized  are  to  transact  business  for 
the  Lord's  Kingdom  and  the  whole  organization  is 
to  participate  in  all  the  business,  so  that  when  it 
comes  to  receiving  members,  a  vote  of  that  partic- 
ular Church  or  congregation  is  certainly  not  only 
in  order,  but  a  very  impressive  and  stimulating 
expression  of  their  willingness  to  grant  member- 


84  THE  CHURCH 

ship  to  the  applicant,  and  if  that  be  followed  with 
an  old-time  cordial  handshake  it  becomes  all  the 
more  so. 


CHOOSING  A  PASTOR 

There  is  nothing  we  do  which  demands  more 
care,  or  is  worthy  of  more  thoughtful  considera- 
tion, than  the  choosing  of  a  pastor,  and  yet  fre- 
quently nothing  is  done  more  carelessly  or  with 
so  little  thought.  The  misfits  in  pastoral  service, 
and  the  limitations  in  many  pastorates,  reveal  the 
careless  and  inefficient  way  by  which  we  do  the 
most  important  things.  There  is  a  lamentable 
want  of  wisdom  manifested,  both  by  congregation 
and  preacher,  when  it  comes  to  the  matter  of 
engaging  a  pastor. 

The  average  Church  exercises  less  sense  in  this 
matter,  though  of  such  vital  importance,  than  a 
prudent  man  does  in  buying  a  horse  or  a  cow 
for  his  use  on  the  farm.  The  many  churches 
longing  for  another  man,  and  the  many  men  anx- 
ious for  more  congenial  fields,  is  an  earnest  plea 
for  a  carefully  devised  plan  by  which  the  many 
evils  of  the  past  may  not  be  repeated  and  future 
mistakes  and  misfits  avoided.    The  way  the  pastor 


CHOOSING  A  PASTOR  85 

is  often  chosen,  is  to  throw  open  the  pulpit  to  the 
innumerable  candidates  that  may  choose  to  come. 
Their  personal  request  to  be  heard,  or  the  desire 
of  some  personal  friend  or  admirer,  is  quite  suffi- 
cient to  secure  for  each  one  in  turn  a  hearing. 
The  people  are  often  encouraged  to  take  a  side, 
and  stand  for  the  man  they  like  to  hear  preach, 
and  do  not  hesitate  to  say  that  they  know  that  the 
Church  will  lose  some  members,  and  some  money, 
too,  if  their  particular  preacher  is  not  employed. 
Then,  sometimes  they  sing  their  little  song : 

I  know  something  I  won't  tell. 

When  the  candidates  have  all  been  heard,  and 
the  Church  thoroughly  divided  and  the  members 
worked  up  to  fever  heat  in  their  effort  to  secure 
their  favorite,  then  a  meeting  of  the  Church  is 
called  to  decide  the  all-important  matter  of  a 
preacher  for  the  "coming  year."  Their  prices 
have  been  secured,  and  often  the  original  amount 
reduced  in  order  to  increase  their  influence  with 
the  brethren,  and  with  evorybody  ready  for  final 
struggle  they  go  into  session.  Deacon  Economy  is 
made  chairman,  and  opens  the  meeting  with 
prayer,  in  which  he  asks  the  Lord  to  direct  their 
minds  to  the  right  man,  which,  in  his  judgment, 
means  the  one  who  has  named  the  lowest  price  to 
the  committee.    But  to  Brother  Selfish  it  means 


86  THE  CHURCH 

the  man  who  can  get  the  most  done,  calling  on  him 
for  the  least  amount  of  service. 

And  so  each  one  determines  who  the  right  man 
is,  and  leaves  the  Lord  very  little  to  do  in  the 
matter.  When  the  meeting  is  ready  for  business, 
one  after  another  presents  his  favorite  candidate, 
and  lays  particular  stress  upon  his  ability  to  do 
the  thing  which,  in  his  judgment,  the  others  do 
not  want  done,  which  they  insist  is  greatly  needed 
in  that  particular  community.  One  wants  an  old- 
fashioned  preacher,  one  wants  a  new-fashioned 
preacher,  one  wants  a  good  singer,  one  wants  one 
that  will  not  forget  the  people,  another  wants 
one  that  will  be  popular  with  the  young  people,  one 
wants  one  that  will  be  sociable,  another  wants 
one  that  will  not  lower  his  dignity,  one  wants  one 
that  will  call  on  the  members,  another  wants 
one  that  will  study  and  prepare  his  sermons,  one 
wants  one  that  is  interested  in  missions,  another 
wants  one  that  will  take  care  of  the  local  Church, 
one  wants  one  that  is  interested  in  education, 
another  wants  one  that  can  preach  to  the  common 
people,  one  wants  one  that  will  take  all  the  collec- 
tions, another  wants  one  that  will  not  always  be 
harping  about  money,  one  wants  one  that  keeps 
up  with  the  times,  another  wants  one  that  was 
like  the  good  old  preachers  of  his  boyhood  days. 


CHOOSING  A  PASTOR  87 

Some  want  him  to  preach  loud,  some  want  him  to 
preach  low,  some  want  him  to  preach  long,  some 
want  him  to  preach  brief,  some  want  him  to 
preach  fast,  some  want  him  to  preach  slow,  some 
want  him  to  preach  on  doctrinal  subjects,  some  on 
practical  subjects,  some  want  him  to  dress  well 
and  look  tidy,  and  others  think  a  fop  of  a  preacher 
is  the  "awfullest"  thing  in  the  world.  And  thus 
they  go  on  until  they  are  ready  to  vote,  when  lo 
and  behold,  the  man  they  want  cannot  be  found! 
He  is  dead.    He  died  a  good  many  years  before. 

There  is  another  way  of  choosing  a  pastor  that 
is  evil,  and  always  evil,  and  that  is  to  start  a  sub- 
scription for  two  candidates,  with  the  understand- 
ing that  the  one  receiving  the  largest  amount  shall 
be  "the  preacher."  The  writer  knew  a  Church 
that  at  one  time  had  three  candidates,  but  could 
not  agree  upon  any  one  of  them.  One  was  a  holi- 
ness man,  one  was  given  to  abusing  the  members  of 
the  Church  for  their  failures,  and  the  other  a  faith- 
ful man  of  average  ability  as  a  preacher.  The 
Church  agreed  to  start  three  subscriptions,  and 
the  one  to  whom  the  most  money  was  subscribed 
should  be  called.  The  result  was  that  the  worldly 
people  rallied  to  the  man  that  pleased  them, 
because  of  his  caustic  way  of  dealing  with  the 
faulty  members,  and  the  Church  had  for  one  year 


88  THE  CHURCH 

a  preacher  "hired''  by  the  world  and  for  which 
he  preached,  to  the  great  detriment  of  the  Church 
and  the  growth  of  righteousness  in  that  com- 
munity. Never  start  a  subscription  for  a 
preacher.  That  will  work  harm  and  only  harm 
every  time.  Take  your  subscription,  if  taken  at 
all,  for  the  Church,  no  matter  who  the  preacher 
may  be.  In  raising  funds  for  Church  purposes 
the  preacher  should  never  be  named. 

There  is  a  way  to  choose  a  pastor  and  a  right 
way,  too.  A  pastor  is  a  preacher,  plus  his  ability 
to  do  pastoral  work  among  the  people,  and  choos- 
ing one  is  manifestly  the  Lord's  work  and  hence 
every  step  taken  by  the  congregation  should  be  in 
a  humble  spirit  of  submission  and  dependence  on 
Him.  The  prayers  of  the  Church  ought  to  make 
it  sure  that  the  coming  pastor  will  be  the  right 
man,  for  if  he  comes  in  answer  to  their  prayers 
for  guidance  it  cannot  be  otherwise.  Let  me 
suggest : — 

First.  That  in  selecting  a  pastor  all  prelim- 
inary work  be  intrusted  to  the  Official  Board  of 
the  Church,  or  to  a  committee  carefully  chosen 
for  the  special  duty  of  investigating  and  reporting 
their  findings  to  the  Church,  and  not  to  the  entire 
congregation,  as  is  often  done. 


CHOOSING  A  PASTOR  89 

Second.  The  Official  Board,  or  Special  Com- 
mittee, thus  charged  with  such  duty  should  first 
of  all  make  a  list  of  eligible  men,  and  men  who 
might  be  especially  desired  by  the  Church.  From 
this  list  should  then  be  eliminated  (a)  all  such  as 
the  Board,  or  Committee,  has  reason  to  think 
could  not  be  induced  to  leave  their  present  field  of 
labor,  (b)  All  who  ought  not  to  be  tempted  to 
leave  their  present  field  of  labor,  no  matter  how 
desirable  they  might  be.  (c)  All  those  who,  no 
matter  how  desirable  and  efficient  elsewhere, 
might  be  unfit  for  their  particular  pulpit,  (d) 
And  all  who  are  pulpit  seekers  and  who  make 
frequent  changes  in  their  pastoral  relations. 

Third.  Before  any  of  the  men  thus  selected 
should  be  written  to,  or  any  consideration  given 
them,  the  Board,  or  Committee,  should  make  dili- 
gent inquiry  as  to  the  following : 

1.  Is  he  a  believer  in  the  fundamental  truths 
of  Christianity? — such  as  the  Divinity  of  Jesus 
Christ ;  the  atonement  for  sin ;  the  necessity  of  the 
new  birth,  and  the  inspiration  of  the  Bible,  for  a 
man  in  holy  orders  who  does  not  believe  and  teach 
these  things  cannot  do  the  work  of  an  evangelist, 
nor  feed  the  flock  of  God  over  which  the  Holy 
Ghost  hath  made  him  overseer,  and  no  greater 
calamity  could  befall  a  Church  than  to  have  its 


90  THE  CHURCH 

pulpit  occupied  by  one  recreant  to  truth  and  false 
to  the  sacred  vows  of  ordination. 

2.  Inquiry  should  be  made  concerning  his  per- 
sonal character,  for  though  a  man  may  preach 
well,  unless  he  lives  well  his  preaching  is  vain.  Is 
he  a  loyal  citizen?  Is  he  a  good  neighbor?  Is  he 
a  kindly  man  and  godly  in  his  home?  Is  he  honest 
in  his  dealings?  Does  he  pay  his  debts  promptly 
and  fully?  Is  he  trustworthy  in  his  personal  char- 
acter and  conduct? 

3.  As  to  his  spirituality — and  here  let  us  not 
mistake.  To  be  tender  hearted  is  not  spirituality ; 
loud  and  boisterous  utterances,  ignoring  reason 
and  good  manners,  and  many  other  things  of  like 
character,  are  not  spirituality.  A  common  sense 
religion,  manifesting  itself  in  personal  faith  and 
spotless  conduct  is  of  far  more  value  than  the 
mere  sentiment  of  it,  but  it  yet  remains  true  that 
nothing  needs  emphasis  and  expression  more  than 
spirituality,  and  Churches  seeking  pastors  should 
not  overlook  this  supremely  important  qualifica- 
tion in  the  man  they  call. 

4.  Diligent  and  adequate  inquiry  should  be 
made  regarding  his  pastoral  character.  Is  he 
faithful,  prompt  and  efficient  as  a  pastor?  Does 
he  visit  his  families?  Does  he  know  his  people? 
Does  he  call  on,  and  pray  with  the  sick?    Has  he 


CHOOSING  A  PASTOR  91 

influence  with  the  young  people  of  the  Church? 
Does  he  take  an  interest  in  the  Sunday-school,  the 
Christian  Endeavor  Society,  and  other  organiza- 
tions of  the  Church  ? 

5.  As  to  his  ability  to  administer  in  Church 
matters.  How  does  he  get  along  with  his  official 
members?  Is  he  dictatorial,  or  considerate  in 
relation  to  the  business  affairs  of  the  Church?  Is 
he  in  harmony  with  the  Ladies'  Aid  Society,  the 
Missionary  Society,  and  other  auxiliary  organiza- 
tions of  the  Church? 

6.  As  to  his  family.  It  is  true  that  the  wife 
is  not  "nominated  in  the  bond"  but  it  is  also  true 
that  she  is  bound  to  be  a  very  important  factor  in 
the  problem  of  pastoral  service.  Many  an  incom- 
petent minister  succeeds  because  of  the  intelligent, 
faithful  service  of  his  wife,  while  many  a  com- 
petent one  fails  because  of  the  frivolities  and 
indiscretion  of  a  helpmate  that  does  not  help. 

7.  Having  been  assured  of  the  things  above 
mentioned,  it  is  time  to  find  out  whether  or  not 
the  man  can  preach,  for  his  business  is  to  preach, 
and  his  commission  is  confined  to  that.  He  may 
do  other  things,  but  this  thing  he  must  do;  he 
must  preach.  It  may  not  be  always  advisable  to 
have  the  man  selected  to  visit  the  Church  before 
the  call  is  formally  extended,  and  many  good  men 


92  THE  CHURCH 

refuse  to  "candidate,"  but  on  the  other  hand,  it  is 
but  fair  to  minister  and  Church  that  they  see  each 
other  and  to  a  degree  at  least  understand  the  con- 
ditions and  circumstances  under  which  they  are  to 
live.  A  wise  preacher  will,  when  visiting  a 
Church,  avoid  the  "star  sermon."  Some  Churches 
prefer  to  send  committees  to  visit  the  Church  of 
the  prospective  man,  and,  unknown  to  him,  hear 
him  preach  an  average  sermon  under  the  usual 
conditions  of  his  life.  This  method  has  its  advan- 
tages, but  it  is  not  wholly  free  from  weakness  and 
limitation. 

The  safest  way  to  proceed  in  such  an  important 
matter  is  by  prayer  and  common  sense  methods, 
and  a  pastor  thus  secured  is  likely  to  prove  efficient 
and  satisfactory,  and  continue  long  in  the  good 
graces  of  his  people,  while  the  preacher  in  common 
garb,  who  comes  down  the  street  displaying  a  list 
of  organizations  needed,  a  stereopticon,  and  plan 
for  efficiency,  may  draw  for  a  while,  but  it  will 
be  found  that  he  can  tarry,  he  can  tarry  but  a 
night.  The  pastor's  life,  conduct,  and  efficiency 
are  well  set  forth  in  the  following  lines  by 
Dryden : 

The  proud  he  tamed,  the  penitent  he  cheered, 
Nor  to  rebuke  the  rich  offended  feared; 
His  preaching  much,  but  more  his  practice  wrought 
A  living  sermon  of  the  truths  he  taught. 


THE  PREACHER 


HIS  CALL  AND  COMMISSION 

To  be  a  minister  of  Jesus  Christ  is  to  be  called 
of  God  to  the  greatest  work  ever  committed  to 
man.  The  ministry  is  not  a  mere  matter  of 
human  preference,  but  is  of  divine  appointment. 
It  is  not  a  profession  to  be  chosen,  but  a  calling 
to  be  received.    Jesus  said  to  His  disciples : 

"Ye  did  not  choose  me,  but  I  chose  you  and 
appointed  you."  "As  the  Father  hath  sent  me, 
even  so  send  I  you." 

Among  the  last  things  He  said  to  His  disciples 
was: 

"All  authority  hath  been  given  unto  me  in 
heaven  and  on  earth.  Go  ye,  therefore,  and  make 
disciples  of  all  the  nations,  baptizing  them  into 
the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  teaching  them  to  observe  all  things 
whatsoever  I  commanded  you :  and  lo,  I  am  with 
you  always,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world." 

Paul,  the  great  apostle  to  the  Gentiles,  was  not 
present  at  the  time  that  Jesus  commissioned  the 
disciples,  but  was  called  to  the  same  work,  as  he 
puts  it,  "As  one  born  out  of  due  time."  He 
declares  that  his  apostleship  was  not  of  man,  but 
of  God.    "For  I  make  known  to  you,  brethren,  as 


94  THE  CHURCH 

touching  the  gospel  which  was  preached  by  me 
that  it  is  not  after  man ;  For  neither  did  I  receive 
it  from  man,  nor  was  I  taught  it,  but  it  came  to  me 
through  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ." 

It  is  interesting  to  find  how  the  different  writers 
of  the  epistles  introduce  themselves  by  one  simple 
phrase,  which  indicates  their  call  to  the  gospel 
ministry.  Paul,  who  had  sat  at  the  feet  of  Gama- 
liel, Peter  the  impulsive  but  devoted  fisherman  of 
Galilee,  James  the  practical  son  of  Zebedee,  and 
the  loving-hearted  John,  all  speak  of  themselves  as 
"The  servant  of  Jesus  Christ." 

I  know  that  there  is  a  divine  vocation  for 
every  man;  that  the  farmer,  the  blacksmith,  the 
carpenter,  the  doctor,  the  teacher,  the  mason,  the 
artificer  in  brass  and  iron,  and  all  others  are 
called  to  do  their  work  and  may  truly  say  that 
they  are  "Servants  of  Jesus  Christ,"  but  above  the 
call  given  to  all  men  there  comes  to  the  minister 
of  the  Word  such  a  consciousness  of  his  life's  work 
that  like  Paul,  he  feels,  "For  if  I  preach  the 
gospel  I  have  nothing  to  glory  of ;  for  necessity  is 
laid  upon  me ;  for,  woe  is  unto  me,  if  I  preach  not 
the  gospel."  Paul  seems  to  think  that  he  might 
be  entitled  to  some  glory  for  preaching  the  gospel 
without  charge  to  them,  but  he  could  not  glory  in 
being  a  preacher  of  the  gospel,  for  God  laid  upon 


THE  PREACHER  95 

him  the  necessity.  Paul  would  say  I  have  received 
both  the  office  and  the  grace  with  which  I  execute 
the  office  from  God.  I  have  not  only  His  authority 
to  preach,  but  that  authority  obliges  me  to  preach ; 
"Woe  is  unto  me,  if  I  preach  not  the  gospel."  Dr. 
Clark,  in  commenting  on  this  expression  of  Paul, 
says:  "As  every  genuine  preacher  receives  his 
commission  from  God  alone,  it  is  God  alone  who 
can  take  it  away.  Woe  to  that  man  who  runs 
when  God  has  not  sent  him ;  and  woe  to  him  who 
refuses  to  run,  or  who  ceases  to  run,  when  God 
has  sent  him." 

The  man  who  enters  the  sacred  calling  aright 
does  not  follow  some  caprice  of  his  will,  but  what 
he  believes  to  be  a  distinct  call  from  heaven.  God 
has  not  left  the  publication  of  the  message  of 
salvation  to  any  loose  and  uncertain  methods,  but 
ever  calls  His  messengers  with  the  same  divine 
interest  and  care,  and  clothes  them  with  the  same 
authority  included  in  the  first  great  call  and  com- 
mission. The  true  minister  of  Jesus  Christ  must 
speak  the  Word  of  God  and  not  his  own.  He  is  an 
ambassador  from  the  court  of  heaven  and  if  he 
speak,  he  must  speak  as  the  oracle  of  God.  To  an 
ancient  preacher  God  said,  "Preach  unto  it  the 
preaching  that  I  bid  thee,"  and  to  another  He 
said:  "Be  not  afraid  because  of  them;  for  I  am 


96  THE  CHURCH 

with  thee  to  deliver  thee,  saith  Jehovah."  "Thou 
therefore  gird  up  thy  loins,  and  arise,  and  speak 
unto  them  all  that  I  command  thee:  be  not  dis- 
mayed at  them,  lest  I  dismay  thee  before  them." 
The  man  who  goes  forth  to  preach  must  go  in  the 
consciousness  of  God's  choice  of  him  and  of  God's 
will  expressed  through  him  as  an  ambassador. 

The  late  Joseph  Parker  says : 

Ministers  are  often  asked  by  young  men  how  to  enter 
the  ministry.  This  question  seems  to  arise  out  of  the 
conception  that  the  ministry  is  a  profession.  My  answer 
to  such  men  is:  Examine  yourselves,  talk  out  the  matter 
in  secret  communion  with  God,  and  then  enter  the  ministry 
by  entering  it.  This  does  not  exclude  any  wise  arrange- 
ments for  preliminary  culture;  but  it  often  helps  to  deter- 
mine whether  that  culture  should  be  undertaken,  and  what 
the  range  of  that  culture  ought  to  be.  How  do  men  learn 
to  swim?  Often  by  plunging  into  the  water.  We  learn  to 
do  many  things  simply  by  doing  them.  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  a  man  is  either  a  preacher,  or  he  is  not  a  preacher. 
I  repeat  the  doctrine  which  I  have  laid  down  again  and 
again.  The  matter  begins  in  a  deep  conviction  on  the 
part  of  the  man  himself;  then  it  passes  into  the  region  of 
public  experiment;  then  it  may  become  the  subject  of 
friendly  consultation,  especially  with  Christian  pastors 
and  leaders;  and  then  final  responsibility  rests  upon  the 
man  himself.  I  have  never  undertaken  to  introduce  any 
man  into  the  ministry — I  have  encouraged  many;  but  the 
responsibility  I  have  always  left  with  the  men  them- 
selves. I  began  my  own  ministry  under  the  inspiration  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  by  standing  up  in  the  open  air  and  talking 
to  anybody  who  cared  to  gather  around  me.  If  they 
invited  me  to  go  again,  I  accepted  the  invitation  as  a 
divine  sign.  I  went  from  place  to  place,  standing  upon 
blocks  of  wood,  standing  in  carts  and  wagons,  standing  on 
broad  walls,  or  ledges  of  rock,  and  telling  the  peasants 


THE  PREACHER  97 

who  halted  to  hear  me  that  the  Kingdom  of  heaven  was  at 
hand,  and  that  I  have  been  entrusted  with  an  invitation 
to  them  all  to  come  to  the  cross,  to  receive  pardon.  Under 
this  call  I  have  labored  for  forty  years  without  ever  chang- 
ing my  doctrine  or  suspecting  my  credentials.  I  will  be 
no  party  to  organizing  a  ministry  which  sets  pedantic 
limits  on  its  official  sanctions.  I  will  support  no  college 
that  looks  upon  scholarship  as  an  essential  to  entrance. 
I  live  now  to  protest  against  the  degradation  of  the  Chris- 
tian ministry  into  a  "learned  profession."  By  all  means 
let  the  ministry  be  instructed  and  even  learned  in  a  pro- 
found sense;  but  never  let  it  exclude  the  men  who  have 
companied  with  Jesus  for  many  a  day,  and  have  received 
from  His  own  lips  the  commiBsion  to  go  forth  and  teach 
the  gospel  of  salvation. 

There  is  a  sense  in  which  every  man  has  a 
divine  vocation,  and  that  any  man  who  has  the 
desire  and  the  ability  may  call  sinners  to  repent- 
ance; but  He  whom  God  wants  to  preach  His 
Word,  him  He  calls,  for  no  man  taketh  the  honor 
to  Himself,  and  no  man  can  with  any  assurance 
of  authority  represent  the  Kingdom  of  God  unless 
he  be  commissioned  and  sent. 

To  the  writer  the  most  beautiful  picture  of  all 
pictures  is  that  of  Jesus  Christ  in  the  synagogue 
at  Nazareth,  just  after  His  return  from  the 
temptation  in  the  wilderness,  and  His  contest  with 
Satan.  He  stands  up  to  read.  He  is  yet  a  young 
man;  the  glow  of  youth  is  on  His  cheek,  and  the 
glory  of  young  manhood  enthroned  upon  His 
brow.  He  is  straight,  tall,  and  commanding,  the 
fire  of  enterprise  is  in  His  eye,  and  the  resonance 


98  THE  CHURCH 

of  love  in  His  voice ;  a  picture  of  rugged,  stalwart, 
pure,  unsullied  young  manhood  devoted  to  a  cause, 
and  consecrated  to  a  purpose.  In  His  reading  He 
outlines  His  life-work.    He  says,  I  am — 

To  preach  good  tidings  to  the  poor ;  I  am 
To  proclaim  release  to  the  captives ;  I  am 
To  proclaim  the  recovering  of  sight  to  the  blind ; 
I  am 

To  set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised ;  I  am 
To  proclaim  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord ; 

but  I  can  do  it.    I  have  been  called.    I  am  qualified. 

I  am  prepared ;  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me ; 

I  have  been  anointed,  I  can  do  it. 

When  He  would  send  men  out  to  do  exactly 
what  He  had  been  anointed  to  do  and  had  done. 
He  had  them  tarry  at  Jerusalem  until  they,  too, 
were  anointed  for  their  work.  But  were  there 
no  other  proofs  or  suggestions  of  the  divine  call 
other  than  the  names  given  to  the  preachers  of 
righteousness,  they  would  be  sufficient  to  establish 
the  call  beyond  reasonable  doubt.  They  are  called 
servants,  chosen  vessels,  shepherds,  overseers, 
stewards,  and  ambassadors. 

All  these  names  imply  selection,  and  appoint- 
ment in  the  absence  of  which  there  can  be  no 
authority.    Certainly  no  one  would  suppose  that  a 


THE  PREACHER  99 

steward  would  assume  the  duties  and  responsibil- 
ities of  the  office  uncalled,  unchosen,  and  unap- 
pointed.  But  when  you  consider  that  word 
"ambassador,"  you  are  face  to  face  with  conditions 
which  forever  settle  the  question  of  the  preacher's 
call.  Paul  says,  "We  are  ambassadors  therefore 
on  behalf  of  Christ." 

Tell  me,  please,  how  there  can  be  an  ambassador 
without  previous  appointment  ?  If  it  be  said,  that 
this  is  restricted  to  the  apostles,  we  answer  that 
the  epistles  were  not  written  in  the  name  of  Paul 
only,  but  of  Timothy,  also,  and  hence  include  other 
ministers  besides  those  directly  included  in  the 
apostolic  circle.  Every  one  knows  that  the  essence 
of  ambassadorial  office  lies  in  the  appointment 
which  is  made  by  the  government,  or  sovereign, 
making  it.  An  ambassador  unsent  would  not  only 
be  destitute  of  authority  and  without  power,  but 
he  would  be  reprehensible,  to  say  the  least. 
Earthly  rulers  insist  upon  the  right  to  appoint 
their  representatives,  saying  that  by  such  means, 
only,  can  the  integrity  of  the  government  be  main- 
tained, and  in  this  all  thinking  men  concur,  for 
no  man  would  for  a  moment  sanction  a  self -con- 
stituted ambassador  to  the  government  of  China, 
as  a  representative  of  this  country,  though  there 
are  some  men  who  think  that  the  great  God,  the 


100  THE  CHURCH 

supreme  Sovereign  of  the  universe,  the  King  of 
kings  and  Lord  of  lords,  so  loose  in  His  methods 
and  so  averse  to  formalities,  that  He  will  allow 
any  little  jackanapes  to  set  himself  up  in  the 
ambassador  business.  Is  not  the  government  of 
the  Almighty  infinitely  more  important  than  any, 
yea,  than  all  of  the  governments  of  earth?  and 
shall  the  governments  of  men  outdo  the  govern- 
ment of  heaven  in  matters  of  such  supreme 
importance?  Nay,  verily,  brethren,  God  does  not 
allow  men  to  take  the  honor  to  themselves  now, 
any  more  than  He  did  when  Aaron  was  made  high 
priest ;  and  the  commission  that  should  be  insisted 
upon  as  essential,  is  the  authority  to  preach,  and 
that,  too,  not  from  a  conference,  or  a  body  of 
elders,  deacons,  or  officials,  but  from  God  Himself. 

HIS   QUALIFICATION  AND   PREPARATION 

In  the  writer's  thought  of  the  preacher  there  is 
a  diiference  between  the  qualification  and  the 
preparation.  The  qualification  comes  alone  from 
God,  who  calls  him  to  His  work  and  gives  to 
him  that  conviction  of  duty  which  gives  power  to 
the  brain  for  thinking  and  to  the  body  for  doing. 
This  is  the  life  which  comes  from  a  close  walk 
with  God,  an  enduement  of  the  Spirit,  and  a  holy 
communion  with  the  Infinite  which  prompts  the 
God-called  man  to  seek  for  spiritual  things.    To 


THE  PREACHER  101 

develop  the  intellect  and  neglect  the  heart  is  to 
produce  a  one-sided  character,  wholly  unqualified 
for  life's  best  work,  while  the  other  extreme 
results  in  a  zeal  which  is  not  always  according  to 
knowledge.  Repairs  to  ceilings  and  windows 
often  result  from  this  sort  of  "sound  preaching," 
rather  than  the  leading  of  the  soul  to  God.  But  as 
I  make  a  distinction  between  qualification  and 
preparation  in  the  gospel  ministry,  it  will  be  well 
for  me  to  make  plain  the  difference  between  the 
two,  as  I  see  it. 

Here  is  a  man  who  wants  to  be  a  soldier.  He 
offers  himself  to  his  country.  He  is  carefully 
examined  and  is  not  found  wanting  in  any  of  the 
requirements  of  the  army.  He  is  of  proper  age 
and  of  correct  height  and  weight.  Lungs  good, 
heart  good,  sight  good,  hearing  good,  all  good. 
He  volunteers ;  is  sworn  in ;  is  dressed  in  the  uni- 
form of  his  country ;  is  given  a  gun ;  is  drilled  and 
disciplined  until  he  is  familiar  with  all  the  varied 
and  numerous  movements  of  military  tactics.  See 
him  stand  erect  with  true  soldiery  bearing.  Is  he 
prepared  for  war  ?  Yes.  Is  he  qualified  as  a  sol- 
dier? I  do  not  know.  Is  he  brave?  Will  he  be 
loyal  to  his  country  ?  Has  he  true  love  of  home  in 
his  heart?  Will  he  obey  the  commands  of  his 
superior  officer?    Will  he  endure  hardness?    Will 


102  THE  CHURCH 

he  suffer,  and  if  needs  be,  die  for  the  dear  old 
flag?  If  so,  he  is  qualified  to  be  a  soldier,  and 
with  these  qualifications  he  would  slay  more  with 
the  jawbone  of  an  ass,  than  he  could  possibly  do 
without  them,  even  though  he  be  panoplied  with 
the  king's  armor,  or  fitted  out  with  all  the  modern 
equipment  for  battle. 

Here  is  a  man  who  wants  to  preach.  He  offers 
himself  to  the  Church  and  then  to  the  conference. 
He  is  examined  in  language,  in  rhetoric,  in  logic, 
in  psychology,  in  history,  in  science,  in  art,  in 
literature,  indeed  he  has  the  polish  of  the  schools 
and  the  learning  of  the  age.  Is  he  prepared  to 
preach?  Yes.  Is  he  qualified?  I  don't  know. 
Has  he  been  called  of  God?  Has  he  listened  to 
the  still  small  voice,  speaking  to  his  soul  of  diviner 
things  and  holier  living?  Will  he  be  true  to  God, 
the  Church,  his  home,  and  himself?  Will  he 
preach  the  Word?  Will  he  give  diligence  to  pre- 
sent himself  approved  unto  God,  a  workman  that 
needeth  not  to  be  ashamed  ?  Will  he  endure  hard- 
ness as  a  good  soldier  for  Christ?  Will  he  suffer 
and  sacrifice?  Has  he  character  into  which  has 
been  wrought  the  life  of  the  Son  of  God?  Has  he 
tarried  at  Jerusalem  until  the  Spirit  came  upon 
him?  If  so,  he  is  qualified  to  preach,  and  will  not 
fail  of  a  hearing.    But  the  qualified  man  who  may 


THE  PREACHER  103 

not  be  prepared  will  seek  the  needful  preparation, 
and  will  not  be  content  until  he  find  it. 

Ours  is  an  age  distinguished  by  intellectuality, 
with  well-equipped  schools  and  qualified  teachers, 
and  our  pews  are  no  longer  filled  with  men  and 
women  whose  educational  opportunities  were  con- 
fined to  a  few  months  in  log  schoolhouses  with 
incompetent  instructors.  There  are  no  backwoods 
preachers.  Indeed,  civilization  has  obliterated  the 
backwoods,  and  the  world  is  living  and  moving 
in  the  light  of  the  tireless  sun  of  advancement, 
and  the  preacher  must  keep  pace  with  the  onward 
march,  or  fall  before  the  trained  intellect  and  cul- 
tured heart  of  a  people  who  have  been  disciplined 
in  schools  and  colleges  under  competent  and  thor- 
oughly drilled  teachers.  This  is  an  age  of  careful 
thinking,  of  extensive  investigation,  of  deep  pro- 
bing, and  persistent  asking,  until  earth,  sea,  and 
sky  are  ransacked  for  their  hidden  treasures. 
Accuracy  in  speech,  correction  in  diction,  fault- 
lessness  in  pronunciation,  impressiveness  in  man- 
nerism, and  much  more,  are  now  required  of  the 
gospel  minister,  which  even  a  few  years  ago  were 
not  only  considered  unnecessary,  but  wrong.  But 
that  age  had  its  demands  to  which  the  ministry 
responded,  which  are  not  in  existence  to-day,  but 
with  their  passing  away  have  come  others  equally 


104  THE  CHURCH 

important  and  much  more  exacting,  and  to  which 
the  present  ministry  must  promptly  respond.  In 
this  age  of  the  world,  no  profession  among  men 
requires  an  intelligence  and  education  so  broad, 
so  thorough,  so  deep,  so  full,  as  that  of  the  Chris- 
tian ministry.  The  minister  who  takes  his  right- 
ful place  and  holds  it  must  be  able  to  cope  with 
the  living  questions  that  stir  and  move  the  mind 
and  thought  of  the  day.  There  is  no  room  in  this 
age  of  literature,  of  mental  energy,  of  mighty 
problems,  for  the  public  teacher  who  fails  to  apply 
himself  to  the  tasks  of  his  calling.  The  world  has 
not  stood  still,  nor  is  it  standing  still  to-day,  and 
the  minister  who  comes  to  cultivate  the  moral 
fields  with  the  old-time  methods  will  find  himself 
as  far  outgone  as  he  who  would  if  he  should 
undertake  to  farm  with  the  old-time  wooden 
mold-board  plow  and  the  ground-hog  thresher. 
All  hail  to  the  pioneer  ministry  of  the  Christian 
Church,  both  dead  and  living.  They  did  their 
duty  and  they  did  it  well,  and  upon  their  brows 
God  puts  a  crown  of  honor  and  the  people  respond. 
Amen ;  but  for  their  successors  to  go  about  their 
work  in  the  same  way  is  to  invite  defeat  and  suffer 
failure.  The  carefully  prepared  sermon  was  not 
then  demanded,  or  even  desired ;  and  yet  some  of 
the  sermons  that  have  stood  the  severest  literary 


THE  PREACHER  105 

test,  were  written  by  our  ministerial  fathers,  and 
shine  as  stars  of  the  first  magnitude  in  the  literary 
and  homiletic  heavens  of  to-day.  But  in  this  age 
of  active  thought,  and  deep  mental  inquiry,  with 
books,  papers,  and  periodicals  in  every  home,  the 
minister  dare  not  be  indifferent  to  the  careful 
study  and  thorough  preparation  of  his  sermon. 
The  demand  for  a  prepared  ministry  was  not  born 
in  the  nineteenth  century.  It  was  not  legislated 
into  existence  by  modern  conferences,  assemblies, 
or  conventions.  Indeed,  their  only  work  relative 
to  a  prepared  ministry  is  to  enforce  the  require- 
ments of  the  divine  law.  Jesus  trained  His  apos- 
tles for  years  before  He  laid  upon  them  the 
responsibilities  of  the  ministry,  thus  insisting  that 
a  preparation  must  precede  operation.  He  knew 
that  they  could  not  turn  from  their  fishing  and 
their  merchandising,  and  at  will,  according  to 
their  own  ambition  or  fancy,  preach  the  gospel 
successfully. 

HIS   PREPAEATION 

If  by  preparation  is  meant  the  things  he  must 
know  and  possess  in  order  to  preach,  then  the  line 
of  thought  now  under  consideration  will  lead  to 
the  discussion  of  certain  intellectual,  literary,  and 
social  attainments  indispensable  to  the  man  called 
of  God  to  preach  the  gospel  of  His  Son. 


106  THE  CHURCH 

But  if  by  preparation  is  meant  his  personal  life 
as  well — under  the  word  preparation  will  be 
included  all  that  otherwise  would  be  said  under 
the  two,  separately.  One's  preparation  is  deter- 
mined most  wholly,  and  in  nearly  every  case  by 
what  one  has  to  do. 

The  fisherman  is  prepared  to  fish  when  he  has  a 
line,  hook,  and  some  bait.  He  does  not  even  need 
a  pond  into  which  to  cast  his  line ;  and  his  entire 
tackle  may  belong  to  another,  having  been  bor- 
rowed in  a  neighborly,  honest  way,  or  pirated 
without  the  owner's  knowledge  or  consent ;  but  no 
matter,  so  far  as  the  preparation  to  fish  is  con- 
cerned, the  man  is  prepared.  Now,  if  such  an  one 
shall  possess  the  spirit  of  the  fisherman,  and  shall 
find  a  pond  into  which  he  may  cast  his  line,  it  may 
be  said  of  him  that  he  is  a  fisherman.  If  his 
outfit  should  be  a  borrowed  one,  he  will  usually 
acknowledge  the  same,  and  return  it  to  the  owner 
with  thanks  after  he  has  done  with  it. 

What  the  preacher  is  to  do,  determines  the  kind 
and  degree  of  his  preparation.  Fortunately  we 
are  not  left  to  guess  as  to  his  line  of  service,  for 
He  who  has  called  him  to  be  a  minister  of  His 
grace,  has  caused  the  lines  of  his  activities  to  be 
very  definitely  announced. 


THE  PREACHER  107 

He  is  to  live  a  life. 

He  is  to  fight  a  battle. 

He  is  to  preach  the  gospel. 

He  IS  to  exhort  the  wayward. 

He  is  to  rebuke  the  unruly. 

He  is  to  warn  the  wanderer. 

He  is  to  open  the  eyes  of  the  blind. 

He  is  to  proclaim  deliverance  to  the  captive. 

He  is  to  heal  the  broken-hearted. 

He  is  to  open  the  prison  doors  to  the  captives. 

In  a  word,  he  is  to  re-live  the  life  of  Jesus  Christ 
on  the  earth.  There  can  be  no  other  plan  or  pur- 
pose for  the  life  and  activities  of  the  Christian 
preacher.  Now  these  being  the  things  he  has  to 
do,  what  is  the  preparation  needful  ? 

I.      A  VITAL  CHRISTIAN  EXPERIENCE 

This,  you  observe,  touches  the  life  of  the  man. 
It  is  not  something  to  be  attained,  cultivated,  or 
purchased;  it  is  an  experience  in  the  soul  of  the 
power  and  life  of  Jesus  Christ.  To  know  God  is 
not  an  intellectual  conception,  but  a  soul  experi- 
ence, and  to  represent  him  on  the  earth  is  not  cut- 
ting intellectual  gymnastics  before  an  audience, 
but  holding  up  the  cross  and  inviting  men  to  be 
cleansed  in  its  blood. 

Jesus  said  of  Himself,  that  He  was  the  "good 
Shepherd."    The  qualification  certainly  referred 


108  THE  CHURCH 

to  some  life  trait ;  some  heart  quality.  He  did  not 
say,  I  am  the  good  organizer,  the  good  social 
caller,  the  good  evangelist,  the  good  mixer,  He 
said,  I  am  essentially  good ;  good  at  heart ;  good  in 
life;  good  in  love;  good  in  service;  I  am  substan- 
tially, fundamentally  good, — life  quality;  neither 
intellectual,  literary,  nor  social  attainments,  but 
essential  goodness.  He  mentions  two  character- 
istics of  the  good  Shepherd.  He  says :  "The  good 
shepherd  layeth  down  his  life  for  the  sheep"  and 
"I  lay  down  my  life  for  the  sheep."  Both  of  these 
Jesus  did,  and  says  to  all  His  representatives  on 
the  earth,  "Go  and  do  thou  likewise."  The  one 
needful  preparation  of  the  preacher  at  the  very 
beginning  of  his  ministry  is  to  be  good  enough  to 
be  unselfish,  a  condition  which  is  wholly  unattain- 
able, except  through  a  vital  touch  with  Jesus 
Christ. 

The  necessity  for  this  vital  Christian  life  will 
appear  all  the  more  important  when  you  call  to 
mind  that  the  preacher  cannot  preach  independ- 
ently of  himself.  The  scientist  can  teach  science 
without  any  reference  to  moral  character.  The 
mechanic  may  teach  his  art  most  thoroughly,  and 
at  the  same  time  be  a  moral  degenerate;  the 
teacher  of  art  may  impart  his  knowledge  and  train 
the  student's  hand  to  the  skill  of  painting,  while 


THE  PREACHER  109 

at  the  same  time  his  heart  may  be  full  of  vile  pic- 
tures painted  on  the  foul  canvas  of  a  corrupt 
imagination ;  the  college  professor  may  direct  the 
classes  in  his  school  in  all  the  arts,  sciences,  phi- 
losophies, and  intellectual  exploits  known  to  man, 
without  having  ever  tasted  of  the  sweets  of 
redeeming  grace.  But  not  so  with  the  preacher. 
He  himself  is  essentially  blended  with  the  truth 
he  teaches,  and  he  cannot  enforce  it  without  a 
realization  of  it  in  his  own  life. 

The  preacher  and  the  man  must  be  one  and  the 
same  personality ;  his  sermon  must  be  a  transcript 
of  his  heart;  then,  and  only  then,  will  he  be  a 
chosen  vessel  of  the  Lord  to  bear  the  good  news  to 
a  dying  world.  It  is  unreasonable  and  contrary 
to  all  human  experience  to  suppose  that  any  man 
could  for  any  length  of  time  inspire  a  love  for  the 
truth  and  a  desire  for  holiness  when  he  himself 
is  a  stranger  to  the  one,  and  an  opposer  of  the 
other.  Under  the  Old  Dispensation,  no  man  with 
any  bodily  blemish  was  to  offer  the  oblations  to 
the  Lord.  The  priest  was  to  have  his  robes,  bells, 
and  pomegranates ;  the  one  a  figure  of  sound  doc- 
trine, and  the  other  of  a  fruitful  life;  and  Jesus 
did  not  come  to  set  aside  the  fundamentals  of  the 
priesthood,  nor  any  other  essential  of  the  divine 
government,  and  hence  the  man  who  represents 


110  THE  CHURCH 

Him  on  earth  must  be  like  Him,  "a  lamb  without 
blemish."  Mere  orthodoxy  will  not  save;  a  man 
and  a  minister  may  go  to  perdition  with  a  cate- 
chism in  one  hand,  and  a  confession  of  faith  in  the 
other.  Mere  intellectual  assent  to  a  truth  will  not 
answer;  a  man  may  go  to  ruin  with  the  best 
written  creed  of  Christendom  in  his  pocket,  and 
the  latest  revised  edition  of  the  discipline  stored 
away  in  his  hat. 

The  reason  given  for  so  many  being  added  unto 
the  Lord  under  the  preaching  of  Barnabas  was, 
"for  he  was  a  good  man,  and  full  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  and  of  faith." 

II.      A  PREPARATION   V^HICH   COMES  THROUGH   HIS 
OWN  EFFORTS 

Here  we  enter  more  concisely  the  realm  of  per- 
sonal preparation.  This  preparation  is  none  the 
less  important  because  it  is  to  be  effected  largely 
by  the  preacher's  own  efforts,  for  in  the  absence 
of  the  preparation  now  mentioned,  he  must  live  a 
bungler  and  die  a  failure,  even  though  God  gave 
him  a  call  to  work.  When  God  calls  men  He  calls 
them  as  they  are  at  the  time,  but  what  they  shall 
become  is  left  largely  with  themselves.  Peter  was 
a  fisherman,  and  Matthew  a  tax-gatherer  when 
Jesus  called  them  into  His  ministry,  but  He  never 
intended  for  them  to  remain  such.    Peter  was  to 


THE  PREACHER  111 

leave  his  fishing  boat,  and  Matthew  was  to  close 
up  his  office,  and  both  were  to  become  fishers  of 
men. 

This  preparation  includes  his  ability  to  stand 
erect,  to  walk  gracefully,  to  ring  the  door-bell 
correctly,  to  bid  the  time  of  day  pleasantly,  to 
greet  a  parishioner  mannerly,  to  read  the  Scrip- 
tures plainly,  to  eat  becomingly,  to  leave  a  home 
properly,  to  tie  his  neckwear  attractively,  to  shine 
his  boots  regularly,  to  shave  his  face  or  trim  his 
beard  tastefully  and  cleanly,  to  comb  his  hair  daily, 
to  keep  his  finger  nails  free  from  the  accumulation 
of  ages,  and  to  do  many  another  thing  which  com- 
mon sense  and  propriety  will  suggest  to  him  as 
the  days  of  his  service  wear  on. 

But  we  must  enter  into  that  broader  culture  and 
keener  intellectuality  which  this  age,  especially, 
demands  of  its  preachers  as  an  essential  prepara- 
tion for  their  life-work.  It  is  true  that  among  the 
ministers  of  the  Christians  were  and  are  some  of 
the  most  successful  preachers  that  ever  adorned, 
or  ever  will  adorn,  the  pulpit  who  never  enjoyed 
the  advantages  of  a  collegiate  or  theological  train- 
ing. They  entered  the  ministry  against  "princi- 
palities and  powers,"  and  fought  their  way  to 
high  positions.  Language  cannot  do  them  the 
honor  they  deserve.     God  bless  the  memory  of 


112  THE  CHURCH 

dead  ones,  and  the  services  of  living  ones,  and 
give  them  successors  many  times  multiplied.  The 
lives  and  services  of  such  men  demonstrate  the 
fact  that  a  preacher  may  be  unable  to  read  the 
classics,  be  wholly  ignorant  of  higher  mathe- 
matics, and  still  be,  in  the  true  sense  of  the  word, 
an  educated  man — may  know  how  to  think,  may 
be  able  to  investigate  closely,  reason  logically,  and 
conclude  correctly,  may  be  indeed  a  good  English 
scholar,  and  a  man  of  extensive  reading,  yea,  may 
be  much  more  efficient  as  a  preacher  of  the  gospel 
than  scores  of  others,  who  flaunt  their  sheep-skins, 
and  tack  up  their  diplomas  from  some  of  the 
highly  honored  institutions  of  the  land.  But 
because  that  is  true,  it  emphasizes  all  the  more 
the  importance  of  an  educated  ministry.  What 
the  Church  needs,  ever  has  needed,  and  ever  will 
need,  is  a  ministry  adapted  to  the  culture  of  the 
age. 

Society,  like  a  pyramid,  has  the  largest  amount 
of  material  at  the  base.  The  Jews  were  unwise 
and  unphilosophical  when  they  asked  as  a  test 
question,  "Hath  any  of  the  rulers  believed  on 
him?"  The  common  people  heard  Him  gladly; 
they  were  the  base  of  the  pyramid,  and  the  kind- 
ling at  the  base  of  the  fire,  and  when  kindled,  the 
flame  shot  upward  until  such  men  as  Paul  were 


THE  PREACHER  113 

enveloped  and  enlisted  in  service.  Jesus  Christ 
knew  that  religion  develops  upward,  and  not 
downward,  and  hence  He  went  to  the  seashore  for 
the  first  preachers  of  the  gospel.  But  He  wouldn't 
go  there  to-day.  Ever  since  Christianity  has  been 
fully  established,  God  has  been  asking  for  the 
Pauls,  and  using  the  Peters  only  when  the  Pauls 
were  not  responding. 

It  was  Paul  who  said  to  his  son  in  the  gospel, 
"Give  diligence  to  present  thyself  approved  unto 
God,  a  workman  that  needeth  not  to  be  ashamed." 
No  one  for  a  moment  can  doubt  that  the  ministry 
of  this  century  would  profit  by  that  advice.  Per- 
haps Paul  would  say  now,  were  he  to  attend  our 
conferences,  "Young  man,  go  to  college.  Go  where 
men  of  learning,  and  teachers  of  culture  are  at 
the  head  of  the  classes,  and  where  you  may  be 
taught  the  things  a  preacher  should  know  and  do." 
The  minister  who  enters  the  sacred  office  now 
expecting  to  succeed  simply  because  he  feels  called 
of  God  to  preach,  will  find  himself  without  a  field 
or  a  friend  within  an  incredibly  short  time.  The 
world's  culture  demands  of  the  Church  a  ministry 
equal  to  the  culture  found  in  the  pew,  and  when 
the  preacher  is  in  any  measure  behind  the  times 
in  manners,  in  intellectuality,  in  the  necessary 
education  and  mental  development,  he  will  not  be 


114  THE  CHURCH 

long  in  finding  out  that  he  is  stranded.  No 
preacher  can  sustain  himself  who  is  not  a  student. 
He  must  be  constantly  accumulating  fresh  and 
invigorating  thought,  else  he  will  soon  exhaust  the 
stock  on  hand,  and  find  himself  dead  broke  in  a 
market  where  souls  might  be  purchased  for  the 
Kingdom.  The  people  will  no  longer  listen  to  dry 
and  senseless  platitudes,  nor  will  they,  except 
under  protest,  pay  for  services  which  they  have 
reason  to  believe  cost  the  preacher  neither  time 
nor  thought.  The  truth  is,  that  a  lazy  preacher, 
one  who  will  not  study,  and  thus  dishonors  his 
Master,  and  bores  his  hearers,  is  a  fraud,  and 
deserves  to  be  arraigned  before  the  common 
court  of  the  country  for  obtaining  money  under 
false  pretense.  Services  in  the  pulpit  which  cost 
the  preacher  nothing,  nothing  in  the  way  of  prepa- 
ration, hard  study,  and  sermon-building,  are 
worth  nothing  to  his  hearers,  and  the  preacher 
who  attempts  to  get  his  living  that  way  is  a  thief 
and  a  robber,  and  to  such  the  porter  ought  not  to 
open. 

It  would  be  an  untold  calamity  to  the  cause 
of  Jesus  Christ  to  have  the  pulpits  of  the  Church 
occupied  only  by  uncultivated  men.  On  the  con- 
trary, nothing  enhances  the  cause  of  Christianity 
more  than  to  have  its  sacred  platforms  occupied 


THE  PREACHER  115 

by  men  of  vigorous  intellect,  or  profound  scholar- 
ship, and  thorough  cultivation — men  fitted  to  rule 
by  force  of  character,  and  weight  of  mind,  while 
they  constantly  bow  in  deepest  humiliation  to  the 
mind  and  heart  of  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  said  that  a 
certain  king  instructed  his  son  in  the  art  of  gov- 
erning men.  "The  great  art,"  said  the  king,  "in 
governing  men,  is  to  make  them  believe  that  the 
king  knows  more  than  his  subjects."  "But  how," 
asked  his  son,  "shall  he  make  them  believe  that  he 
knows  more?"  "By  knowing  more,"  said  the  king. 
The  only  way  for  a  preacher  to  govern  the  people 
in  matters  of  religion,  and  become  a  leader  and 
a  helper  to  the  people,  is  by  knowing  more  than 
they  do. 

Paul  was  a  highly  cultured  man,  preaching  in 
Jerusalem,  in  the  Hebrew  language;  in  Rome,  in 
the  Latin  language;  in  Athens,  in  the  Greek  lan- 
guage; and  that,  too,  so  logically  and  so  elo- 
quently, so  correctly  and  forcefully  that  his  learn- 
ing astonished  the  profound  and  awed  the  igno- 
rant. Now  this  thoroughly  cultured  man,  this 
polished  speaker,  who  knew  the  advantages  of 
preparation,  commanded  Timothy  to  "give  dili- 
gence to  present  himself  approved  unto  God,  a 
workman  that  needeth  not  to  be  ashamed."  And 
he  might  have  added,  of  whom  the  people  will  not 


116  THE  CHURCH 

be  ashamed.  Also  that  he  give  heed  to  reading, 
to  exhortation,  to  teaching ;  to  give  himself  wholly 
to  them.  Thus  the  demand  for  an  educated  min- 
istry which  finds  such  prominent  and  pronounced 
expression  in  this  age  was  laid  by  the  authority  of 
God  and  enforced  in  the  example  of  Christ  more 
than  eighteen  hundred  years  ago,  and  has  been 
recognized  and  emphasized  by  the  thoughtful, 
progressive  men  of  each  succeeding  generation. 
Some  of  the  old-time  preachers,  the  fruit  of  whose 
labor  is  seen  to-day,  were  ignorant  men  and 
seemed  to  dote  on  their  ignorance,  and  thought 
that  God  held  their  illiteracy  at  a  premium,  but 
could  they  rise  and  speak  to-day  their  united  voice 
would  be  in  favor  of  a  prepared  ministry.  In  our 
thought  of  the  ministerial  preparation  we  seem  to 
reverse  the  divine  order.  Jesus  put  the  prepara- 
tion first  and  the  qualification  last.  He  fully 
intended  that  the  story  of  His  life  should  be  per- 
petuated, and  that,  too,  through  thoroughly  pre- 
pared men.  His  life's  work  was  far  too  important 
to  be  entrusted  to  men,  no  matter  how  good,  who 
were  unprepared  to  properly  handle  it.  He  chose 
twelve  men,  and  spared  no  pains  in  preparing 
them  for  the  duties  and  responsibilities  of  the 
ministry.  He  gave  them  practical  lessons  in  what 
to  do,  and  how  to  do  it.    They  listened  to  His  ser- 


THE  PREACHER  117 

mons ;  they  heard  Him  tell  His  parables ;  they  went 
with  Him  into  the  homes  of  the  sick  and  the  sor- 
rowing; they  watched  Him  in  His  daily  associa- 
tions with  men ;  they  witnessed  His  conduct  in  the 
presence  of  death ;  they  felt  the  force  of  the  divine 
presence  and  the  thrill  of  that  matchless  voice; 
they  journeyed  with  Him  over  hill  and  dale,  and 
were  shown,  as  no  class  in  theology  was  ever 
shown,  what  to  preach  and  how  to  preach  it. 
Were  they  prepared  ?  They  certainly  were.  And 
now,  said  the  Master,  your  preparation  is  com- 
plete, it  only  remains  for  you  to  tarry  at  Jeru- 
salem until  you  are  endued  with  the  Spirit,  which 
came  upon  them  in  such  power  as  to  make  them 
mighty  forces  in  the  salvation  of  the  world. 

Rev.  H.  Y.  Rush  once  said,  at  a  session  of  the 
Miami  Ohio  Conference :  "Christianity  will  stand 
the  test  of  scholarship,  of  history,  of  exploration, 
of  discovery,  but  it  cannot  live  in  an  ignorant 
Church,  nor  survive  an  ignorant  ministry."  To 
be  a  minister  of  Jesus  Christ  means  preparation, 
and  it  should.  When  you  want  a  house  built, 
whom  do  you  employ?  A  prepared  carpenter. 
When  you  want  a  school  taught,  who  teaches  it? 
The  prepared  teacher.  When  you  want  an  engine 
run,  whom  do  you  engage  to  run  it?  The  pre- 
pared engineer.    When  your  child  is  sick  and  the 


118  THE  CHURCH 

fever  burns  and  scorches,  and  the  chill  shakes  its 
little  frame,  and  you  moisten  its  parched  lips,  and 
tiptoe  across  the  room,  and  speak  in  subdued 
tones,  to  what  doctor  do  you  entrust  that  little 
darling?  Why,  to  the  prepared  doctor.  When 
one  is  called  to  break  to  your  souls  the  bread  of 
life,  and  point  out  to  you  a  higher  and  holier  way, 
to  lead  your  erring  children  back  to  the  path  of 
virtue  and  assist  them  in  developing  a  character 
gemmed  with  life's  virtues  and  molded  into  the 
likeness  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  whom  do  you 
call  to  do  that  important  work?  A  prepared  car- 
penter to  build  the  house,  a  prepared  teacher  to 
teach  the  school,  a  prepared  doctor  to  treat  the 
child,  a  prepared  blacksmith  to  shoe  the  horse,  a 
prepared  cook  to  cook  the  meals,  a  prepared 
engineer  to  run  the  engine,  and  a  cheap  and  often 
unprepared  preacher  to  do  the  most  important 
work  of  all.  But  often  times  there  is  no  other 
kind  available. 

THE  MESSAGE  AND  ITS  PREPARATION 

There  is  little  or  nothing  to  say  about  the  mes- 
sage, except  that  it  must  be  biblical.  Some  insist 
upon  doctrinal  preaching;  others  upon  the  prac- 
tical. Some  clamor  for  the  scientific,  and  others 
for  the  sympathetic,  and  still  others  would  turn 
the  pulpit  into  a  sort  of  political,  religious,  scien- 


THE  PREACHER  119 

tific,  social,  literary,  and  theatrical  gymnasium, 
and  open  it  alike  to  the  discussion  of  all  sorts  of 
themes.  Some  say  commerce,  politics,  newspa- 
pers, economics,  novels,  plays,  current  literature, 
theosophy,  occultism,  spiritualism,  and  Christian 
Science,  are  fit  subjects  for  pulpit  discussion. 
God  never  commissioned  men  to  preach  other  than 
that  which  pertains  to  man's  salvation  from  sin 
and  his  happiness  in  heaven.  It  may  be  freely 
admitted  that  ministers  need  to  guard  against  tak- 
ing too  narrow  a  view  of  the  scope  of  pulpit 
themes.  When  Paul  said,  "For  I  determined  not 
to  know  anything  among  you,  save  Jesus  Christ, 
and  Him  crucified,"  he  evidently  did  not  mean 
that  this  literally  should  be  his  only  and  exclusive 
theme,  for  in  his  epistles  he  discusses  many  other 
subjects  relating  to  matters  of  faith  and  duty. 
All  questions  of  moral  duty  are  fit  topics  for  the 
pulpit.  All  themes,  the  discussion  of  which  is  in 
harmony  with  the  mission  of  the  Church  and  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  are  proper  subjects  for  the 
Christian  preacher.  The  range  of  topics  pre- 
sented in  the  Scripture  is  by  no  means  narrow; 
and  a  preacher  may  always  feel  that  he  is  on  safe 
ground  when  he  is  expounding  and  enforcing  the 
truths  taught  in  the  Bible.     He  should  exhort. 


120  THE  CHURCH 

rebuke,  condemn,  encourage,  and  inspire  with  the 
truth  of  God. 

But  whatever  his  theme  may  be,  whatever  line 
of  thought  he  may  choose  for  his  sermon,  both 
himself  and  his  sermon  must  be  prepared,  but 
especially  himself. 

The  writer  has  heard  preaching  (so  called)  that 
was  to  the  sermon  what  a  load  of  lumber  is  to  the 
building  before  the  trained  carpenter  had  meas- 
ured and  determined  the  various  fittings  of  each 
particular  piece.  Material  enough,  to  be  sure,  but 
all  mixed  up,  and  when  the  sermon  (so  called) 
was  ended  it  resembled  a  house  with  the  doors  in 
the  gables,  the  windows  in  the  roof,  and  the  floors 
on  top,  and  the  sleeping  apartments  in  the  cellar, 
and  the  parlor  where  the  kitchen  ought  to  be.  A 
sermon,  like  a  house,  is  to  be  erected,  properly 
proportioned,  and  solidly  put  together.  It  is  not 
a  spontaneous  growth,  but  the  result  of  a  work- 
man whose  knowledge  of  symmetry,  strength,  and 
beauty  find  expression  in  its  construction.  A  ser- 
mon is  the  building;  the  text,  the  foundation; 
the  material,  Bible  truths,  historic  incidents,  and 
illustrative  story;  the  tools,  the  minister's  books, 
mind,  and  heart.  There  are  lines  to  be  drawn, 
mortises  to  be  chiseled,  tenons  to  be  shaped, 
braces  to  be  cut,  joints  to  be  fitted,  and  the  meas- 


THE  PREACHER  121 

uring  to  be  so  exact  that  when  the  building  is 
raised  each  piece  will  so  perfectly  fit  the  place  for 
which  it  was  intended  that  it  will  be  firmly  bound 
together  and  at  once  present  solidity,  beauty,  and 
proportion. 

There  is  nothing  more  distasteful  than  an  ill- 
shaped  sermon,  and  nothing  more  likely  to  be 
displeasing  to  the  congregation.  If  it  is  too  nar- 
row for  its  length,  or  too  deep  for  its  breadth,  or 
too  shallow  for  its  width,  it  is  likely  to  repel 
rather  than  attract  the  hearers.  The  sermon  is  an 
important  thing,  and  the  making  of  it  is  a  large 
part  of  the  preacher's  work,  which  work  is  made 
all  the  easier  by  the  preparation  of  which  I  have 
spoken.  There  are  almost  as  many  different  ways 
of  making  sermons  as  there  are  men  to  make 
them.  And  a  sermon  is  only  well  made  when  it 
includes  and  expresses  the  personality  of  the 
maker.  Beecher  could  make  his  special  prepara- 
tion on  Sunday  morning;  Finney  could  take  a 
topic  as  the  Church  bells  began  to  ring ;  Spurgeon 
could  sometimes  select  a  text  after  entering  the 
pulpit;  Craig  could  outline  a  sermon  suggested 
by  the  song  of  a  bird,  as  he  stood  upon  the  door- 
step of  the  meeting-house,  and  all  these  could  with 
thrilling  effectiveness  proclaim  the  gospel  to  both 
cultured  and  uncultured  hearers;  but  these  gen- 


122  THE  CHURCH 

iuses  are  dead  and  their  progeny  is  not  large 
enough  to  fill  the  pulpits  of  the  land. 

The  great  thing  in  sermon-making  is  to  get  into 
usable  shape  the  material  that  the  general  study 
and  reading  gives  on  the  special  theme  or  text 
chosen.  Some  can  "think"  sermonically  only  as 
they  sit  at  their  own  study  table  with  pen  in  hand. 
Another  can  get  the  "think"  started  and  contin- 
ued only  by  walking  about  his  room.  Some  must 
literally  take  to  the  woods.  Each  one  must  study 
to  find  the  most  effective  way  for  himself.  In  a 
general  way,  we  can  say:  Take  a  text  and  think 
on  it  first  of  all.  Get  together  what  is  in  the 
library,  or  can  easily  be  secured,  on  the  theme  or 
text.  Read  reflectively.  Formulate  the  plan.  Fill 
it  in.  Generally  it  can  best  be  done  by  writing. 
It  is  truly  wonderful  how  our  long  train  of  "idees" 
gets  down  to  a  single  small  car,  if  a  pen  or  pencil 
is  used  in  going  through  to  uncouple  the  empty 
cars.  Before  the  writing  there  seems  a  lot  of 
material  and  often  is,  but  it  is  without  form  and 
void,  and  it  is  the  preacher's  work  to  shape  the 
material  into  a  sermon.  Our  sermons  should  show 
truth  to  the  hearer.  The  aim  in  all  sermons 
should  be  to  interest,  instruct,  impart  some  appro- 
priate spiritual  truth.    The  character  of  the  audi- 


THE  PREACHER  123 

ence  should  always  be  kept  in  view.    No  unknown 
tongue  should  be  indulged. 

Every  Church  should  be  a  people's  Church,  and 
every  sermon  a  people's  sermon.  Especially  is 
this  applicable  to  large  cities.  It  was  the  Church 
at  Smyrna,  Pergamos,  etc.;  not  the  emotional 
Church,  the  sesthetic  Church,  the  philosophical 
Church.  Churches  should  not  be  divided  on  such 
lines.  The  study  of  men's  minds,  with  a  view  to 
reaching  all,  should  be  made.  Great  care  should 
be  taken  not  to  get  into  a  mold  or  "rut"  in  sermon . 
making.  By  study,  to  the  same  man  will  come 
ability  to  prepare  emotional  sermons,  intellectual 
sermons,  suggestive  sermons,  and  exhaustive  ser- 
mons. All  these  kinds  should  be  delivered  to  con- 
gregations, no  matter  whether  in  town  or  country, 
among  highly  cultured  people,  or  those  not  so 
highly  favored.  Whether  to  read  from  full  manu- 
scripts, memorize,  have  brief  notes,  or  no  notes, 
in  the  pulpit,  is  a  matter  for  each  one  to  decide 
upon. 

However  well  the  preacher  may  prepare  his 
sermon,  the  most  important  thing  is  the  prepara- 
tion of  himself.  The  problem  in  the  preacher's 
study  is  mainly  the  making  of  the  sermon,  but  the 
vitally  important  thing  is  the  making  of  the 
preacher.     Many  preachers  are  sermon  makers 


124  THE  CHURCH 

and  but  little  more.  Sometimes  I  am  almost 
tempted  to  advocate  doing  away  with  sermon 
making  as  a  part  of  the  preacher's  business. 
When  a  man  puts  something  he  has  manufactured 
in  place  of  himself  and  at  the  expense  of  his  own 
development,  it  may  mean  a  good  sermon,  for  the 
people,  but  it  means  death  to  the  preacher.  He 
has  made  something,  but  he  may  not  have  become 
something.  Sermons  as  things  separate  and 
apart  from  their  authors  and  of  themselves  can  do 
nothing.  When  sermons  are  merely  prepared  and 
preached,  the  audience  may  get  a  sermon,  but  they 
do  not  get  a  preacher.  No  sermon  can  have  power 
that  does  not  flow  from  the  preacher's  personality. 
If  the  sermon  maker  shall  have  form  and  style  and 
thought,  and  beauty,  they  will  be  found  in  the 
sermon.  They  will  leap  out  of  the  maker's  life 
into  the  thing  he  makes.  The  road  to  successful 
preaching  is  not  so  much  in  the  making  of  the 
sermon  as  it  is  in  the  making  of  the  preacher.  Get 
the  preacher  made  right  and  the  sermon  he  makes 
will  be  made  right.  It  will  take  shape  and  size 
and  height  and  depth  and  breadth  to  the  glory  of 
God  and  the  salvation  of  men. 

Rev.  David  H.  Bauslin,  D.  D.,  is  the  author  of 
the  following  paragraph,  which  most  clearly  illus- 
trates the  fact  set  forth : 


THE  PREACHER  125 

There  may  possibly  be  found  ministers  such  as  Elspeth 
McFadyan  describes  in  Ian  Maclaren's  charming  story  as 
"Maister  Popinjay,"  who  is  thus  outlined  "as  neat  an' 
fikey  a  little  mannie  as  ever  a'  sair  in  a  black  goon.  His 
bit  sermon  was  six  poems — five  a'  had  heard  afore — four 
anecdotes — three  aboot  himsel'  and  ain  about  a  lord — twa 
bumies,  ae  floo'r  gairden,  and  a  snowstorm,  wi'  the  text 
thirteen  times  and  'baloved  twal.'  " 

Certainly  in  this  there  is  a  destitution  of  any 
sort  of  attraction  for  the  robust  piety  and  earnest 
inquiring  of  any  high-souled  man  asking  for  the 
way  of  duty. 

But  turn  from  this  to  the  young  preacher  of 
Drumtochty,  drawn  by  the  same  master  delinea- 
tor. His  mother,  in  the  lingering  moments  just 
before  her  entrance  into  the  city  of  God,  had  said 
to  her  boy :  "If  God  calls  ye  to  the  ministry,  ye'll 
no  refuse,  an'  the  first  day  ye  preach  in  yir  ain 
kirk,  speak  a  gude  word  for  Jesus  Christ,  an', 
John,  I'll  hear  ye  that  day,  though  ye'll  no  see  me, 
and  I'll  be  satisfied." 

Years  passed  and  the  boy's  education  was  fin- 
ished; a  call  was  accepted,  and  the  first  sermon 
had  been  completed  and  was  ready  for  delivery. 
"He  had  finished  his  last  page,"  says  the  narrator, 
"with  honest  pride  that  afternoon,  and  had 
declaimed  it  facing  the  southern  window,  with  a 
success  that  amazed  himself.  His  hope  was  that 
he  might  be  kept  humble,  and  not  be  called  to 


126  THE  CHURCH 

Edinburgh  for  at  least  two  years;  and  now  he 
lifted  the  sheets  with  fear.  The  brilliant  opening, 
with  its  historical  parallel,  the  review  of  modern 
thought,  reinforced  by  telling  quotations,  that 
trenchant  criticism  of  old-fashioned  views  would 
not  deliver.  His  imaginary  audience  now  had 
vanished,  and  in  its  place  there  came  the  vision  of 
the  sweet  face,  ever  the  fact  of  his  vanished  but 
translated  mother,"  and  "then  in  the  stillness  of 
the  room  he  heard  a  voice,  'Speak  a  gude  word  for 
Jesus  Christ.'  "  The  next  minute  John  was  kneel- 
ing on  the  hearth,  pressing  the  sermon,  which  was 
intended  to  shake  Drumtochty,  into  the  red  fire. 
The  last  of  his  labored  discourse  which  he  saw  in 
this  the  hour  of  his  sacrifice  and  triumph  was 
something  about  the  "Semitic  Environment."  "As 
the  last  black  flake  fluttered  out  of  sight,  the  face 
looked  at  him  again,  but  this  time  the  sweet  brown 
eyes  were  full  of  peace."  The  next  day  John  went 
to  his  pulpit  resplendent  with  gown  and  bands, 
without  his  alleged  learning  about  the  "Semetic 
Environment,"  'tis  true,  but  with  a  real  message 
from  God.  His  "gude  word  for  Jesus"  found  the 
hearts  of  Drumtochty,  and  Donald  Menzies  was 
heard  to  exclaim,  "There  was  a  man  sent  from 
God  whose  name  was  John."  Genuine,  heartfelt, 
earnest  "gude  words  for  Jesus  Christ,"  such  as 


THE  PREACHER  127 

bring  men  face  to  face  with  God ;  such  as  always 
grapple  with  the  individual  conscience  and  sum- 
mon the  soul  to  bow  to  the  moral  judgment  which 
it  passes  upon  itself,  are  not  only  the  great 
urgency  of  our  times,  and  of  all  times,  but  likewise 
the  ample  reward  of  the  man  who  bears  them  unto 
the  people. 

But  there  is  another  phase  of  ministerial  prep- 
aration that  must  not  be  overlooked.  It  is  one, 
however,  that  is  most  seriously  overlooked,  the 
result  of  which  is  harm  and  only  harm  continually. 
It  is  a  physical  preparation.  This  physical  prepa- 
ration includes  the  style  of  dress,  cut  of  whiskers, 
color  of  tie,  and  a  hundred  other  little  matters 
that  go  to  make  up  the  minister's  preparation.  It 
also  includes  the  handling  of  his  feet,  the  move- 
ment of  his  body,  the  raising  of  his  hands,  the 
erect  posture  and  graceful  movement.  Many  a 
thoughtful,  earnest  sermon  has  come  short  of  its 
purpose  because  the  preacher  failed  to  comb  his 
hair  or  black  his  boots,  or  during  his  delivery 
lounged  upon  the  Bible-stand,  or  stormed  about  on 
the  platform. 

No  man  called  of  God  to  preach  the  gospel  can 
afford  to  be  negligent  of  his  personal  appearance. 
John  dressed  in  the  wilderness  in  keeping  with 
the  custom  of  his  class,  and  set  an  inflexible  rule 


128  THE  CHURCH 

for  the  gospel  minister,  the  violation  of  which 
means  only  harm  to  the  cause.  The  camel's  hair 
coat  is  as  inappropriate  to  this  age  as  the  broad- 
cloth would  have  been  in  John's.  The  little  nice- 
ties required  of  the  minister  in  his  physical  prepa- 
ration are  not  to  be  overlooked  nor  undervalued, 
for  they  mean  much;  for  audiences  have  eyes  as 
well  as  ears.  In  this  physical  preparation  may  be 
included  the  voice.  Some  preachers  have  a 
"preacher's  voice."  Indeed,  some  have  two  voices, 
one  for  preaching  and  one  for  conversation,  and 
of  all  things  this  is  the  most  repulsive,  and  from 
affectation,  good  Lord,  deliver  us.  Very  few 
preachers  have  what  the  preacher  really  needs 
and  in  many  cases  needs  most  of  all — a  suitable 
voice  for  public  speaking.  The  ear-splitting  ser- 
mons to  which  some  audiences  are  compelled  to 
listen  are  enough  to  discourage  even  the  most 
pious  of  us  all.  Whatever  voice  the  preacher  may 
have,  whether  it  be  a  manufactured  voice,  a  nat- 
ural voice,  a  Sunday  voice,  a  preacher's  voice,  or 
just  a  common  ordinary  one,  it  should  be  the  one 
he  ever  uses.  He  should  talk  in  it,  read  in  it,  joke 
in  it,  sing  in  it,  preach  in  it,  shout  in  it,  whis- 
per in  it,  scold  in  it,  pray  in  it,  and  think  in  it. 
Yes,  one  can  think  in  it  as  easily  as  one  can  speak 
in  it  when  once  one  knows  how.    The  preacher 


THE  PREACHER  129 

should  get  acquainted  with  his  voice,  should  listen 
to  it,  and  make  it  behave  itself.  The  roof -lifting 
tones  of  the  early  days  are  not  needed  now,  and 
we  poor  fellows  that  were  made  to  believe  in  our 
first  preaching  that  the  loud  tone  was  the  chief 
virtue  of  our  preaching,  have  found  it  out  by  the 
scowls  and  frowns  of  the  people  who  would  teach 
us  better  did  they  but  have  the  chance.  Nathan 
Shepherd,  in  his  book  entitled,  "Before  An  Audi- 
ence," has  this  to  say  about  the  voice : 

^he  puMic  speaker  has  no  use  for  the  physiology  of  the 
voice.  It  is  quite  inunaterial  to  him  whether  his  voice  is 
produced  by  the  larnyx  or  the  calf  of  the  leg.  It  is  not 
of  the  slightest  assistance  to  him  to  be  informed  that 
"nasality  is  produced  by  the  lowering  of  the  velum  on 
one  side  and  the  lifting  of  the  base  of  the  tongue  on  the 
other."  He  will  get  rid  of  his  nasality,  not  by  talking 
about  it,  but  by  talking  without  it.  The  only  way  to 
avoid  it  is^ — to  avoid  it.  No  drunkard  was  ever  reformed 
by  a  diagnosis  of  delirium  tremens.  If  there  is  no  will  of 
his  own  to  appeal  to,  no  appeal  will  be  of  any  avail.  You 
may  make  him  weep,  but  you  cannot  make  him  act.  You 
cannot  reach  a  bad  habit  unless  you  set  the  will  against 
it.  A  bad  vofce  is  a  bad  habit,  to  be  got  rid  of  just  as  any 
other  bad  habit  is  to  be  got  rid  of,  by  turning  the  will 
upon  it;  a  good  voice  is  a  good  habit  to  be  acquired,  just 
as  any  other  good  habit  is  to  be  acquired,  by  setting  the 
will  to  acquire  it.  If  your  voice  has  a  tendency  to  go  up, 
you  are  to  do  with  it  just  as  you  should  do  with  your 
elbow  if  it  has  a  tendency  to  go  up  at  the  table — put  it 
down  and  keep  it  down  by  an  exercise  of  the  will.  Will 
it  down,  and  put  it  down,  and  keep  it  down  until  it  stays 
down  without  a  conscious  exercise  of  the  will. 


130  THE  CHURCH 

He  who  is  unconcerned  about  his  preparation 
for  preaching  the  gospel  must  be  destitute  of  all 
evidence  that  God  has  called  him  to  preach.  Not 
that  a  preparation  cannot  be  made  outside  of  col- 
lege walls,  however  advantageous  a  collegiate 
education  may  be,  but  that  a  preparation  can  and 
will  be  made  by  him  whom  God  hath  called  to 
"preach  the  Word."  For  it  is  impossible  to  con- 
ceive that  God  is  pleased,  and  that  He  will  own 
and  bless  the  man  as  a  preacher  of  righteousness, 
who  is  unprepared  and  unconcerned  as  to  a  prepa- 
ration for  such  services.  Yet,  I  have  seen  men 
assuming  to  be  preachers  whose  only  ambition 
seemed  to  be  to  edge  their  way  into  the  pulpit  and 
thereby  advertise  themselves  as  preachers  of  the 
Word  of  God.  Let  me  say  that  the  day  has  passed 
when  the  people  will  tolerate  such  an  imposition. 
For  with  the  advantages  of  this  age  of  books, 
cheap  as  they  are,  and  with  the  helps  furnished 
for  the  study  of  the  Bible,  any  man  of  talent,  if 
he  has  purpose  and  energy,  may  make  a  commend- 
able preparation  for  the  work  of  the  ministry. 
And  he  that  is  too  indolent  and  lazy  to  "give  dili- 
gence to  present  himself  a  workman  approved 
unto  God,  handling  aright  the  word  of  truth,"  will 
not,  and  should  not,  be  respected  as  a  preacher 
of  the  gospel  by  any  intelligent  people.  Think 
not,  my  brother,  to  say  that  you  have  not  time  for 


THE  PREACHER  131 

this  preparation.  You  haven't  time  for  anything 
else.  And  time  taken  by  the  God-called  man  for 
any  other  purpose  than  that  which  is  legitimately 
connected  with  his  work  does  himself  a  wrong, 
and  the  cause  he  represents  an  inseparable  injus- 
tice. Besides,  it  requires  but  a  small  portion  of 
our  time  as  evidenced  in  the  fact  that  the  mosi 
stupendous  literary  works  have  been  wrought  ou\. 
in  the  spare  moments  of  the  day.  Hale  wrote  his 
contemplations  while  riding  from  place  to  place 
and  staying  at  the  homes  on  his  circuit.  Dr. 
Mason  Good  made  a  noted  translation  of  the 
Scriptures  while  riding  in  his  carriage  from  door 
to  door.  One  of  the  chancellors  of  France  wrote  a 
bulky  volume  in  the  successive  intervals  of  daily 
waiting  for  dinner.  Doddridge  wrote  his  expo- 
sitions chiefly  before  breakfast.  Kirk  White 
studied  Greek,  going  over  the  nouns  and  verbs 
while  on  his  way  to  and  from  a  lawyer's  office. 
Burney  learned  French  and  Italian  while  riding 
on  horseback.  Franklin  laid  his  stock  of  knowl- 
edge in  his  dinner  hours  and  evenings  while 
working  as  a  printer  boy.  Dr.  Barnes  wrote  his 
"Notes"  between  four  and  nine  o'clock,  a.  m., 
during  all  the  years  of  which  he  had  on  his  heart 
and  in  his  hands  all  the  responsibilities  and  labor 
of  a  large  pastorate.  Edison,  the  world's  most 
famous  electrician,  sold  peanuts  on  railroad  trains 


132  THE  CHURCH 

and  studied  electricity  while  waiting  at  stations 
for  his  train  to  go.  It  is  not  a  question  of  time. 
It  is  a  question  of  will.  The  man  who  earnestly 
desires  a  preparation  will  find  time  and  oppor- 
tunity to  secure  it.  But  even  if  it  requires  much 
time  and  strength,  it  should  be  done,  yea,  it  must 
be  done.  Pick  out  any  one  hundred  names  that 
to-day  stand  inscribed  upon  the  roll  of  fame,  high 
up  amid  the  national  glories,  intellectual  grand- 
eurs, and  ministerial  honors,  and  I  will  show  you 
one  hundred  hearts  that  braved  the  storms  and 
ceaselessly  labored  for  a  purpose.  "For  forty 
years,"  said  Thomas  Jefferson,  "the  rising  sun  has 
not  found  me  in  bed." 

The  heights  of  great  men  reached  and  kept 
Were  not  attained  by  sudden  flight, 

But  they,  while  their  companions  slept, 
Were  toiling  upward  in  the  night. 

In  this  general  preparation  a  certain  amount  of 
reading  and  a  certain  kind  of  reading  is  absolutely 
necessary  and  without  it  no  man  is  prepared  to 
stand  the  test  of  this  age.  For  general  reading 
and  study  I  name  the  Bible  first,  of  course.  It  is 
the  minister's  specialty,  his  text-book  and  basis 
for  the  truth  he  preaches.  This  does  not  neces- 
sarily mean  that  only  texts  should  be  quoted  to  the 
hearers.  The  Bible  is  suggestive  along  the  lines 
of  every  truth  helpful  to  man  in  every  age.    Next 


THE  PREACHER  133 

I  briefly  mention  good  commentaries,  theology, 
and  Church  doctrines.  Theology  should  be  studied 
but  not  preached — Christian  evidences,  Jewish 
manners,  laws,  customs,  Palestinian  geography, 
principles  of  other  religions — Church  history, 
philosophy,  science,  art,  music,  general  history, 
standard  prose,  and  poetical  literature — news- 
papers, magazines,  religious  papers,  other  high- 
class  papers — novels.  The  preacher  should  take 
the  time  to  read  high-class  novels  occasionally.  It 
is  ever  the  same  gospel  but  not  the  same  stereo- 
typed presentation  of  it.  Even  the  Lord's  Prayer 
is  not  identically  reported  by  the  evangelists. 
Paul  had  the  same  gospel  in  the  synagogue  as  on 
Mars'  hill,  but  his  synagogue  sermon  was  not  the 
same  as  his  Mars'  hill  one.  It  used  to  be  more 
common  than  now  to  say  that  the  apostles  and 
prophets  were  not  educated,  but  have  we  not  read 
of  the  "schools  of  the  prophets"  in  Elijah's  day? 
Is  not  Christ  called  the  Great  Teacher?  Did  He 
not  insist  on  a  three  years'  course  and  then  the 
diploma  of  the  Holy  Ghost?  And  the  world's  cul- 
ture then  was  not  a  tithe  of  what  it  is  to-day.  If 
on  earth  now,  I  think  the  Master  would  give  at 
least  a  twelve-year  course,  and  even  more  for 
some  of  us. 

Even  though  I  had  the  time  to  write  and  you 
the  patience  to  read,  this  subject  would  remain  too 


134  THE  CHURCH 

high,  and  deep,  and  broad,  and  grand,  and 
important  for  our  comprehension.  The  preacher 
is  called  of  God  to  preach  the  gladdest  news  to 
which  human  ears  ever  listened;  he  is  to  tell 
the  sweetest  story  to  which  human  minds  and 
hearts  have  ever  given  attention ;  he  is  to  repeat  the 
mightiest  truths  which  ever  stirred  human  intel- 
lect or  impressed  human  souls;  he  is  to  lead  men 
to  the  highest  and  holiest  life  ever  revealed  to 
man;  he  is  to  comfort  the  sorrowing  with  a  com- 
fort not  his  own ;  he  is  to  put  into  human  life  the 
glad  news  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  sinners'  friend ; 
he  is  to  point  the  erring  to  the  strait  and  narrow 
way,  tell  the  sinner  of  a  Savior,  the  lost  of  a 
Redeemer,  the  penitent  of  a  full  and  free  pardon, 
the  sick  of  the  Heavenly  Physician,  the  dying  of  a 
home  wherein  dwelleth  only  purity  whose  glories 
outshine  the  sun  by  day  and  the  moon  by  night; 
he  is  commissioned  of  the  Most  High  God  to 
preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature,  to  baptize  in 
the  name  of  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit ;  he  is  anointed  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the 
poor;  he  is  sent  to  heal  the  broken-hearted,  to 
preach  deliverance  to  the  captives  and  the  recov- 
ering of  sight  to  the  blind,  to  set  at  liberty  them 


THE  PREACHER  135 

that  are  bruised,  to  preach  the  acceptable  year  of 
the  Lord. 

HIS  DEPENDENCE  AND  HIS  INDEPENDENCE 

As  paradoxical  as  it  may  seem  the  preacher  is 
at  one  and  the  same  time  dependent  and  independ- 
ent. In  the  commission  and  authority  given  to  the 
Twelve  we  find  their  work  outlined,  their  depend- 
ence and  their  independence  established  and 
announced. 

These  twelve  Jesus  sent  forth,  and  charged  them  saying. 
Go  not  into  any  way  of  the  Gentiles,  and  enter  not  into 
any  city  of  the  Samaritans;  but  go  rather  to  the  lost 
sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel.  And  as  ye  go,  preach,  saying 
The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand.  Heal  the  sick,  raise 
the  dead,  cleanse  the  lepers,  cast  out  demons;  freely  ye 
received,  freely  give.  Get  you  no  gold,  nor  silver,  nor 
brass  in  your  purses,  no  wallet  for  your  journey,  neither 
two  coats,  nor  shoes,  nor  staff:  for  the  laborer  is  worthy 
of  his  food.  And  into  whatsoever  city  or  village  ye  shall 
enter,  search  out  who  in  it  is  worthy;  and  there  abide  till 
ye  go  forth.  And  as  ye  enter  into  the  house,  salute  it. 
And  if  the  house  be  worthy,  let  your  peace  come  upon  it: 
but  if  it  be  not  worthy,  let  your  peace  return  to  you.  And 
whosoever  shall  not  receive  you,  nor  hear  your  words,  as 
ye  go  forth  out  of  that  house  or  that  city,  shake  off  the 
dust  of  your  feet.  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  it  shall  be  more 
tolerable  for  the  land  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  in  the  day 
of  judgment,  than  for  that  city.  Behold,  I  send  you  forth 
as  sheep  in  the  midst  of  wolves:  be  ye  therefore  wise  as 
serpents,  and  harmless  as  doves. 

Of  all  men  the  minister  of  Jesus  Christ  is  the 
most  dependent  and  the  most  independent.  Jesus 
told  the  disciples  how  to  treat  the  cities  that 


136  THE  CHURCH 

received  them  kindly  and  how  to  treat  the  ones 
that  rejected  them,  in  which  is  shown  how  abso- 
lutely dependent  they  were  to  be,  and  at  the  same 
time  how  absolutely  independent  they  were  to  be. 
They  were  to  go  on  foot  into  strange  countries; 
they  were  to  make  no  provisions  whatever  for 
their  comforts  or  even  necessities,  but  depend 
wholly  upon  the  hospitality  of  the  people  to  whom 
they  ministered.  They  were  to  take  no  silver,  nor 
gold,  nor  brass,  nor  wallet,  nor  coat,  nor  staff,  but 
go  empty  handed  and  alone  into  the  homes  of  the 
people  and  depend  upon  them  for  their  daily 
bread.  But  at  the  same  time  He  told  them  that 
if  the  people  did  not  treat  them  as  men  of  such 
high  rank  and  having  such  a  great  mission  should 
be  treated  to  shake  the  dust  from  their  feet  in 
testimony  against  them.  Jesus  would  have  them 
know  and  appreciate  their  exalted  mission,  and 
dignity  of  character.  It  seems  that  He  would 
say  to  them,  you  are  of  too  much  value,  and  your 
mission  is  too  important  for  you  to  spend  any 
time  with  a  quibbling,  fault-finding,  grumbling 
people;  just  get  out  of  their  city  and  as  quickly 
as  possible.  When  I  was  pastor  I  think  I  loved 
my  people  as  tenderly  as  a  man  with  no  more 
heart  than  I,  could  love  a  people,  and  they  have 
loved  me,  for  which  I  have  many  times  thanked 


THE  PREACHER  137 

God  and  promised  Him  the  best  of  my  life  for  the 
people  He  had  given  me ;  and  yet  there  never  was 
a  time  in  my  life  when  I  did  not  feel 
wholly  independent  of  the  people  I  served. 
And  now  if  I  felt  competent  to  give  advice 
to  the  younger  ministers,  it  would  be  to 
cultivate  a  feeling  of  dependence  upon  your  peo- 
ple. Depend  upon  them  for  your  living,  your 
standing  in  the  community,  your  efficiency,  for  the 
full  measure  of  their  confidence  and  the  depth  of 
their  sympathy  and  my  word  for  it  you  will  not 
be  disappointed.  And  at  the  same  time  cultivate 
a  feeling  of  independence.  Do  not  become  the 
slave  of  any  man  or  of  any  Church.  Call  no  man 
master  for  one  is  your  Master,  even  Christ.  Be 
free  to  speak  the  truth  in  love.  Always  express 
your  own  convictions  of  duty.  Let  the  people  feel 
that  you  are  sent  of  God  as  well  as  called  of  Him. 
Never  pander  to  a  sickly  sentimentality,  but  be 
free  and  independent  as  was  your  Master. 

To  the  preacher  is  promised  two  things: 
Christ's  presence  and  a  necessary  compensation. 
Christ  said.  Go  and  preach,  and  lo  I  am  with  you. 
That  is  compensation  enough  aside  from  the 
material  things  necessary  to  sustain  life.  It  is 
helpful  to  have  the  sympathy  and  good-will  of  the 
people,   and   to  feel   that  they  appreciate   you, 


138  THE  CHURCH 

and  to  feel  that  Christ  is  with  you,  But 
the  same  Christ  who  said,  "Lo  I  am  with  you,"  also 
said,  "The  laborer  is  worthy  of  his  food."  The 
law  of  compensation  is  universal,  and  inflexible. 
The  God  who  said  the  ox  that  treaded  out  the  corn 
should  not  be  muzzled,  also  said  that  the 
preacher  who  faithfully  preaches  the  gospel  of 
His  Son  shall  not  go  without  pay.  We  accept  the 
service  of  the  teacher,  the  doctor,  the  lawyer,  the 
clerk,  the  carpenter,  and  compensate  them  accord- 
ingly ;  but  we  forget  that  Paul  expressly  declares 
that  "Even  so  did  the  Lord  ordain,  that  they  that 
proclaim  the  gospel  should  live  of  the  gospel." 
The  word  ordain  as  Paul  used  it,  means  to  arrange 
throughout.  So  that  God  has  arranged,  that 
throughout  the  man's  ministry  he  should  live  of  it. 
It  was  a  maxim  among  the  Jews  that  the  inhabi- 
tants of  a  town  where  a  wise  man  had  made  his 
abode,  should  support  him:  because  he  had  for- 
saken the  world  and  its  pleasures  to  study  those 
things  by  which  he  might  please  God  and  be  use- 
ful to  men. 

Dr.  Barnes,  in  commenting  on  1  Cor.  9 :  14, 
"Even  so  did  the  Lord  ordain  that  they  that  pro- 
claim the  gospel  should  live  of  the  gospel,"  says : 

(1)  That  the  command  is  they  shall  "live  of  the  gospel." 
It  is  not  they  should  grow  rich,  or  lay  up  treasures,  or 
speculate  in  it,  or  become  merchants,  farmers,  teachers,  or 


THE  PREACHER  139 

book-makers  for  a  living;  but  it  is  that  they  should  have 
such  a  maintenance  as  to  constitute  a  livelihood.  They 
should  be  made  comfortable;  not  rich.  They  should  receive 
so  much  as  to  keep  their  minds  from  being  harassed  with 
cares,  and  their  families  from  want;  not  so  much  as  to 
lead  them  to  forget  their  dependence  on  God,  or  on  the 
people.  Probably  the  true  rule  is  that  they  should  be  able 
to  live  as  the  mass  of  people  among  whom  they  labor, 
that  they  should  be  able  to  receive  and  entertain  the  poor, 
and  be  willing  to  do  it;  and  as  that  the  rich  also  may  not 
despise  them,  or  turn  away  from  their  dwellings.  (2) 
This  is  a  command  of  the  Lord  Jesus;  and  if  it  is  a  com- 
mand, it  should  be  obeyed  as  much  as  any  other  law  of  the 
Redeemer.  And  if  this  is  a  command,  then  the  minister  is 
entitled  to  a  support;  and  then  also  a  people  are  not  at 
liberty  to  withhold  it.  Further,  there  are  as  strong  rea- 
sons why  they  should  support  him,  as  there  are  why  they 
should  pay  a  school-master,  a  lawyer,  a  physician,  or  a 
day  laborer.  The  ministers  usually  toil  as  hard  as  others; 
expend  as  much  in  preparing  for  his  work;  and  do  as  much 
good;  and  there  is  even  a  higher  claim  in  this  case.  God 
has  given  an  express  command  in  this  case  and  He  has  not 
in  others.  (3)  The  salary  of  a  minister  should  not  be 
regarded  as  a  gift  merely,  any  more  than  the  pay  of  a 
congressman,  a  physician,  or  a  lawyer.  He  has  to  claim  it; 
and  God  has  commanded  it  should  be  paid.  It  is,  moreover, 
a  matter  of  stipulation  and  compact,  by  which  a  people 
agree  to  compensate  him  for  service.  And  yet,  is  there 
anything  in  the  shape  of  debt  where  there  is  so  much  loose- 
ness as  in  regard  to  this  subject?  Are  men  usually  as 
conscientious  in  this  as  they  are  in  paying  a  physician  or 
merchant?  Are  not  ministers  often  in  distress  for  that 
which  has  been  promised  them,  and  which  they  have  a 
right  to  expect  ?  And  is  not  their  usefulness,  and  the  hap- 
piness of  the  people,  and  the  honor  of  religion  intimately 
connected  with  obeying  the  rule  of  the  Lord  Jesus  in  this 
respect  ? 

One  of  my  good  friends,  once  said  to  me,  "I  have 
just  given  five  dollars  toward  your  support."    I 


140  THE  CHURCH 

said  to  him,  that  I  was  not  aware  that  I  had 
become  helpless  or  indigent.  I  said,  "Look  at  these 
hands,  and  feet,  and  arms,  and  eyes,  and  tell  me 
if  you  think  I  am  not  able  to  support  myself." 
Said  I,  "You  support  criminals,  and  paupers,  but 
you  compensate  labor."  A  minister  is  a 
laborer,  and  is  worthy  of  his  hire.  Aside  from  the 
salvation  of  souls,  the  community  gets  the  benefit 
of  the  preacher's  brains,  scholarship,  and  service, 
and  he  should  be  paid,  not  supported.  A  wild 
cry  rends  the  air.  A  child  has  fallen  into  the 
water  and  is  drowning!  We  see  its  white  face  as 
it  lies  there  in  a  background  of  death!  A  little 
hand  is  thrust  above  the  wave  in  a  frantic 
endeavor  to  find  help.  A  man  rushes  in  at  the 
risk  of  his  own  life,  and  rescues  the  child  from  a 
watery  grave.  It  proves  to  be  your  child!  He 
brings  your  child  back  to  you  for  which  he  offered 
the  price  of  his  own  life.  You  undertake  to  com- 
pensate him  for  it.  Where  would  you  begin? 
What  would  be  the  first  amount  offered  for  such 
service?  The  child,  handed  back  to  your  arms 
snatched  from  the  sea,  grows  to  a  beautiful  young 
manhood  or  womanhood.  It  is  seized  with  a 
dreaded  disease  which  threatens  its  life.  The 
fever  burns  and  scorches  the  child,  and  shakes  the 
fair,  young  frame.     The  old  family  physician  is 


THE  PREACHER  141 

called  in,  who  with  brain,  and  heart,  and  skill,  and 
love  goes  to  work  to  stay  the  awful  ravages  of 
death.  He  succeeds.  He  cools  the  fever,  he 
arrests  the  chill,  he  stays  the  disease,  he  pushes 
back  the  death,  and  saves  your  child !  Back  from 
the  shadow  of  the  grave  he  comes  bearing  it  tri- 
umphantly, and  placing  it  in  your  arms  he  takes 
his  departure.  Some  time  afterwards  you  go  into 
his  office  and  propose  to  pay  him  for  saving  your 
child!  What  would  be  your  first  payment? 
Would  all  your  money,  all  your  farm,  all  your  bank 
stock,  all  your  notes,  all  your  mortgages,  in  any 
sense  represent  the  love  you  have  for  the  child  or 
your  appreciation  of  the  work  done  by  the  physi- 
cian? Later  on  the  same  child  loses  it  way  and 
strays  out  into  the  paths  of  wrong.  Its  soul  is 
sick  and  in  a  sea  of  sin,  away  from  home,  from 
God,  and  the  good.  That  once  pure  life  so  white 
and  stainless,  is  outlined  in  the  red  flames  of  an 
awful  hell.  The  minister  of  the  parish  finds  it  so, 
and  leads  it  to  the  "Lamb  of  God  that  taketh  away 
the  sin  of  the  world,"  and  the  soul  is  washed  in 
the  blood  of  the  Christ  and  cleansed  and  saved. 
Peans  of  praise,  and  loud  hallelujahs  go  up  to  God 
amid  which  the  angels  lift  their  voices  in  thanks- 
giving for  a  soul  that  was  lost  and  is  found. 
Where  will  you  find  money  enough  to  compensate 


142  THE  CHURCH 

a  man  for  such  work  as  that?  And  yet  there  are 
people  by  the  score  and  multitude  who  think  that 
if  they  give  a  dollar  a  year  to  the  "support  of  their 
preacher"  they  are  doing  well.  Such  people  have 
not  the  slightest  conception  of  the  value  of  the 
Christian  ministry.  Ministers  are  not  to  be  sup- 
ported, they  are  to  be  paid.  They  can  support 
themselves.  They  can  support  themselves,  by 
farming,  by  carpentering,  by  teaching  school,  by 
selling  goods,  or  in  many  other  ways  not  neces- 
sary to  mention,  but  if  they  preach  the  gospel 
they  are  to  live  of  the  gospel,  and  they  who  hear 
it  and  fail  to  contribute  toward  the  compensation 
of  the  preacher  will  die  hopelessly  in  debt  and  the 
collecting  be  done  in  the  next  world. 

Compensating  the  minister  for  his  service  is  in 
no  sense  paying  for  the  gospel;  that  is  without 
money  and  without  price.  We  pay  for  the  book 
in  which  the  gospel  is  written;  we  pay  for  the 
building  in  which  it  is  preached  and  we  pay  the 
minister  who  preaches  it  to  us,  in  the  same  sense 
that  we  pay  for  the  window  through  which  the 
light  comes  into  our  houses,  or  for  the  spouts  that 
carry  the  water  from  the  roofs  of  them  into  the 
cistern  which  holds  it,  and,  and  for  which  we  also 
pay,  but  we  do  not  pay  for  the  light,  nor  for  the 
water.    The  gospel  itself  is  as  free  as  the  light  or 


THE  PREACHER  143 

the  rain.  When  we  get  the  gospel  we  do  not  pay 
for  what  we  get  any  more  than  we  pay  for  the 
rain  that  falls,  the  dew  that  gathers,  or  the  air 
that  circulates  about  us.  We  pay  for  the  means 
of  getting  them,  and  the  man  in  any  community 
who  will  not  share  with  his  neighbors  in  getting 
the  gospel  into  the  community  ought  also  to  ask 
them  to  construct  his  windows,  spout  his  roof,  and 
build  his  cistern.  The  last  would  be  as  consistent 
and  as  honorable  as  the  first. 

HINTS,  SUGGESTIONS,  ILLUSTRATIONS 

The  preacher  should  be  industrious,  honest,  and 
economical.  A  lazy  preacher  is  a  nuisance,  a  dis- 
honest preacher,  a  criminal,  and  a  spendthrift,  a 
disgrace. 

He  should  dress  well  for  his  public  service.  A 
lady  parishioner  of  mine  once  said  to  her  husband 
who  was  a  member  of  the  pastoral  committee, 
"Well,  do  get  a  preacher  that  we  are  not  ashamed 
to  look  at." 

The  sermons  should  be  Scriptural.  To  be 
"mighty  in  the  scriptures"  should  be  the  aim  of 
every  minister  who  speaks  to  the  souls  of  men. 
Jesus  Christ  went  into  the  synagogue  and  stood 
up  to  read. 

Always  seize  the  main  point  of  the  text  and 
press  it  home.    Martin  Luther  likens  those  who 


144  THE  CHURCH 

wander  from  their  texts  to  a  maid  going  to  mar- 
ket, who  wastes  her  time  in  talking  with  this  one 
and  that  one  on  the  road,  and  then  arrives  too 
late.  Digressions  often  weaken  the  impression  of 
a  good  sermon. 

"Just  put  a  little  common  sense  into  your  ser- 
mons," said  an  old  Oxford  professor  to  a  "clever" 
young  preacher.  The  common  people  heard  Christ 
gladly  because  He  was  always  understood  by  the 
people,  although  there  are  a  great  many  "uncom- 
mon" people  who  are  pleased  with  learned  or  elo- 
quent sermons  which  they  do  not  comprehend. 
We  have  all  heard  of  the  old  woman  who  went  to 
Church  because  she  was  so  charmed  with  that 
beautiful  word  Mesopotamia,  but  it  did  not  do  her 
much  good. 

Always  know  when  to  stop.  This  is  the  sixth  of 
Luther's  nine  qualities  of  a  good  preacher.  Boyle 
has  an  excellent  essay  on  "Patience  Under  Long 
Preaching."  The  advice  is  good,  but  the  defini- 
tion is  too  difficult.  What  is  a  long  sermon? 
Nowadays  ministers  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church,  especially  those  designated  "High  Church 
men,"  usually  keep  within  twenty  minutes ;  but  it 
is  often  difficult  to  preach  a  really  good  sermon 
within  such  limits.  George  Herbert,  in  his 
"Country  Parson"  advocates  the  use  of  a  short 


THE  PREACHER  145 

sermon.  He  says:  "The  parson  exceeds  not  an 
hour  in  preaching,  because  all  ages  have  taught 
that  a  competence."  William  Jay,  of  Bath,  who 
was  a  popular  Congregational  preacher  in  his  day, 
says :  "I  saw  one  excellency  was  within  my  reach, 
and  it  was  brevity ;  and  I  determined  to  obtain  it. 
I  never  exceed  three-quarters  of  an  hour  at  most." 
But  both  George  Herbert  and  William  Jay 
belonged  to  a  generation  that  is  gone. 

"Nothing,"  says  Lamont,  "can  justify  a  long 
sermon.  If  it  be  a  good  one  it  need  not  be  long; 
and  if  it  be  a  bad  one,  it  ought  not  be  long." 

A  Scotch  preacher  had  preached  his  audience 
out  of  the  Church.  When  one  of  the  weary  ones 
asked  another  if  the  sermon  was  done  yet,  the 
reply  was,  "His  tow's  dune  lang  syne;  but  he's 
spinnin'  awa'  yet." 

A  quftint  writer  has  said,  "A  preacher  should 
begin  low,  proceed  slow,  rise  higher,  and  catch 
Are."  The  writer  used  to  keep  that  saying  lying 
on  the  open  Bible  before  him  when  he  preached. 

On  a  rainy  Sunday  do  your  best.  Never  weary 
the  people  who  do  come,  with  scoldings  intended 
for  those  who  have  stayed  away.  Reserve  that  for 
the  people  who  need  it.  If  you  have  a  good  ser- 
mon, give  it  to  those  who  have  been  to  some 
trouble  to  attend  the  service. 


146  THE  CHURCH 

Be  sure  you  have  something  to  say  before  you 
open  your  mouth.  A  preacher  once  declared  that 
all  he  had  to  do  was  to  open  his  mouth  and  the 
Lord  filled  it.  "Yes,"  said  a  good  old  woman, 
"that  He  will — with  wind."  It  is  said  in  the  early 
day  of  Methodism  that  the  young  preachers  were 
not  permitted  to  write  their  sermons.  One  young 
man  feeling  very  deeply  the  need  of  a  better  prep- 
aration, would  clandestinely  write  his  sermons. 
It  is  told  that  one  day  while  this  young  man  was 
deeply  engrossed  in  his  secret  task  that  the  pre- 
siding elder  came  upon  him  unawares  and 
severely  chastised  him  for  so  doing,  saying,  "While 
you  write  the  devil  looks  over  your  shoulder  and 
knows  what  you  are  going  to  say  and  tells  it  to 
your  congregation  before  you  can.  "Now,"  said 
he,  "I  do  not  write  a  word  of  my  sermons,  and 
when  I  get  up  to  preach  the  devil  himself  does  not 
know  what  I  will  say." 

Make  sure  of  your  calling.  Do  not  mistake  the 
letters,  P.  C,  seen  in  the  vision  of  the  night.  They 
may  not  mean  preach  Christ,  but  plow  corn,  and 
it  is  more  pleasing  to  God,  and  far  more  accept- 
able to  the  people,  for  some  men  to  preach  Christ 
by  plowing  corn  than  by  any  other  way  open  to 
them. 


THE  PREACHER  147 

The  preacher  should  make  his  sermons  worth 
his  salary.  An  Indian,  being  asked  what  he  did 
for  a  living,  replied,  "Oh !  me  preach."  "Preach !" 
said  a  bystander;  "what  do  you  get  paid  for 
preaching?"  "Sometimes  me  get  shillin',  some- 
time two  shillin'."  "Isn't  that  mighty  poor  pay?" 
"Oh,  yes,  and  it's  mighty  poor  preach!" 

The  preaching  may  be  scholarly,  but  should  be 
experimental.  Henry  Ward  Beecher  was  fond  of 
saying :  "There  is  no  such  preaching  as  the  experi- 
ence which  a  man  gives  who  has  just  realized 
the  sinfulness  of  his  soul.  I  have  often  heard 
myself  out-preached  by  some  new  convert  who 
could  hardly  put  words  together." 

Some  say  experimental  preaching  is  shallow. 
Shallow — is  deep  as  the  soul  of  God ! 

The  hearers  should  always  be  made  to  feel  the 
power  of  the  message.  It  is  said  that  a  man  who 
was  fond  of  hearing  both  Beecher  and  Spurgeon 
was  asked  to  name  the  difference,  as  he  saw  it, 
between  the  two  men.  "Well,"  said  he,  "when  I 
hear  Mr.  Beecher  I  say,  'What  a  great  preacher  he 
is!'  and  when  I  hear  Mr.  Spurgeon,  I  say,  'What  a 
great  sinner  I  am!'  "  Dr.  Hickington,  chaplain  to 
Charles  II.,  used  to  preach  at  the  king's  vice. 
This  the  king  took  to  himself ;  and  so  one  day  he 
said:    "Doctor,  you   and   I   ought  to   be   better 


148  THE  CHURCH 

friends ;  give  up  being  so  sharp  on  me,  and  see  if  I 
don't  mend  on  your  hand."  "Well,  well,"  quoth 
the  doctor,  "I'll  make  it  up  with  your  majesty  on 
these  terms :  as  you  mend  I'll  mend." 

The  preacher  should  be  a  man  of  fervent  prayer, 
and  his  sermons  should  be  steeped  in  petition. 
Flavel  says,  "There  was  a  husbandman  that 
always  sowed  good  seed,  but  never  had  corn.  At 
last  a  neighbor  came  to  him,  and  said,  'I  will  tell 
you  what  probably  may  be  the  cause  of  it.  It  may 
be  that  you  do  not  steep  your  seed.'  'No,  truly,* 
replied  the  other,  'nor  did  I  ever  hear  that  seed 
must  be  steeped.'  'Yes,  surely,'  said  his  neighbor ; 
'and  I  will  tell  you  how;  it  must  be  steeped  in 
prayer.'  When  the  party  heard  this  he  thanked 
him  for  his  counsel,  reformed  his  faults,  and  had 
as  good  corn  as  other  persons." 

The  preacher  should  simply  do  his  best.  There 
can  be  no  rule.  A  preacher  that  is  always  "call- 
ing" may  be  a  nuisance  and  need  "calling  down." 
A  preacher  that  never  calls,  needs  "calling  out." 
But  no  set  of  rules  has  ever  yet  worked  success- 
fully in  all  cases.  A  pastor,  the  preacher  should 
be,  and  as  such  should  feed  the  flock  of  God  over 
which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made  him  overseer.  A 
good  old  deacon  in  one  of  the  writer's  first  charges 
always  referred  to  him  as  his  "pasture,"  not  an 


THE  PREACHER  149 

unappropriate  reference,  provided  the  preacher 
had  something  for  his  sheep  to  eat. 

In  his  public  address  he  should  be  careful  of  his 
gestures.  It  is  of  no  use  to  pound  the  Bible.  A 
Bible-smasher  in  the  pulpit  is  in  the  wrong  place. 
It  avails  nothing  to  walk  from  side  to  side  of  the 
platform.  The  days  of  the  traveling  preachers 
are  past  and  it  is  perfectly  proper  for  one  to  stand 
still  while  preaching,  providing  he  does  not 
become  a  post.  An  old  colored  man  who  was 
always  present  at  the  service  when  a  certain  man 
preached,  was  asked  by  the  preacher  what  it  was 
in  his  sermons  that  attracted  him  to  come,  when 
he  never  came  on  any  other  occasion.  "Oh,  noth- 
in',  sir.  Nothin',  sir."  "Then  why  do  you  come?" 
"Oh,  I  like  to  see  you  fling  your  arms  around,  it 
kinder  'muses  me." 

He  should  not  make  himself  a  nuisance  in  the 
homes  of  his  people.  Be  friendly  and  even  famil- 
iar, but  do  not  be  a  burden  or  suppose  that  it  is 
no  trouble  to  them  to  care  for  you.  The  home  is 
a  sacred  place,  and  it  has  its  duties,  its  obligations, 
and  its  rights,  and  upon  them  even  a  preacher  has 
no  right  to  intrude.  A  hotel  bill  once  in  a  while 
will  not  weaken  the  preacher's  influence  with  his 
parishioners. 


150  THE  CHURCH 

The  preacher  should  be  prompt  in  commencing 
the  public  service.  Of  all  the  bad  habits  into 
which  a  preacher  may  fall,  that  of  "waiting"  is 
the  worst.  No  preacher  has  any  moral  right  to 
take  my  time  to  give  to  another.  Ten  thirty  a.  m. 
should  mean  ten  thirty  a.  m.,  and  not  ten  thirty- 
one  a.  m.  Some  one  has  said  that  there  are  three 
hands:  the  right  hand,  the  left  hand,  and  the 
"little  behind  hand."  Schools  open  and  close 
according  to  the  time  announced ;  so  do  banks  and 
stores;  and  the  preacher  who  suffers  himself  to 
wait  for  people,  or  for  any  other  reason  allows 
the  service  to  be  delayed,  ought,  in  justice  to  the 
cause,  resign  the  ministry  and  accept  a  position 
in  which  prevaricating  would  not  be  so  grievous. 

The  preacher  should  not  allow  himself  to  be  but- 
tonholed by  every  one-  A  little  self-respect  will 
often  save  him  annoyance  from  bores. 

The  preacher  should  not  be  on  the  lookout  for 
injuries  or  snubs.  Preachers  who  go  about  hunt- 
ing trouble  soon  find  trouble  hunting  them. 


SENSATIONAL  PREACHING 

To  understand  sensational  preaching,  it  is  nec- 
essary that  we  understand  preaching  as  defined  in 
the  Bible. 

To  preach  means  the  following  things : 

1.  To  Bring  or  Tell  Good  Tidings.  (Isaiah 
61:1) 

This  Jesus  applied  to  Himself,  and  thus  becomes 
the  preacher  whose  life  we  should  live,  and  whose 
preaching  we  should  copy. 

2.  To  Call  or  Proclaim  a  Given  Message. 
(Jonah  3 :  2) 

3.  To  Tell  or  Announce  Thoroughly.  (Luke 
9:60) 

4.  To  Speak  Throughout — That  Is,  It  Is  to 
Absorb  the  Preacher.    (Acts  20 :  7) 

5.  To  Tell  the  Good  News  or  Tidings.  (Luke 
3: 18;  4:  43;  Acts  8:  35) 

6.  To  Tell  Thoroughly.  (Acts  4:2;  13:38; 
ICor.  9:14;Col.  1:28) 

7.  To  Cry  or  Proclaim  as  a  Herald.  (Matt. 
3:1;  4: 17;  10:  7;  10:  27) 

8.  To  Talk  or  Discourse.    (Mark  2:2) 


152  THE  CHURCH 


A  PREACHER  IS- 


1.  A   Caller,  A   Congregator.      (Ecclesiastes 
12:9,10) 

2.  A  Crier,  or  Proclaimer.     (1  Tim.  2:7;  2 
Tim.  1:11) 

3.  To  Proclaim  as  a  Herald.     (Rom.  10: 14) 
These  references  are  quite  sufficient  to  define 

for  us  the  fact  of  preaching;  the  plan  of  preach- 
ing; the  purpose  of  preaching,  and  the  theme  of 
the  sermon. 

Let  us  now  give  attention  to 

SENSATIONAL  PREACHING 

Let  us  not  overlook  some  facts.  Every  sermon 
produces  a  sensation.  It  may  be,  and  often  is,  a 
sensation  of  drowsiness,  or  it  may  be  the  sensation 
of  being  lifted  into  a  higher  and  holier  spiritual 
atmosphere.  There  is  a  sensationalism  which  is 
unbiblical,  degrading  to  the  ministry,  and  injuri- 
ous to  the  people.  There  is  to-day  in  many 
churches,  and  especially  during  evangelistic  serv- 
ices, a  mawkish,  overdone,  spectacular  sensation- 
alism, which  should  have  no  place  in  the  house  of 
God,  and  can  have  no  part  in  the  saving  of  souls. 
To  make  a  stir  simply  to  keep  things  stirred,  does 
nobody  any  good,  and  often  results  in  great  harm 
to  a  large  number  of  people. 


SENSATIONAL  PREACHING  153 

A  thousand  censures  upon  the  man,  who,  while 
wearing  a  clerical  coat  acts  the  clown  and 
degrades  the  sacred  office  by  unholy  speech.  But 
there  is  a  just  difference  between,  and  a  just  dis- 
tinction to  be  made  between  that  sort  of  artificial 
striving  to  "get  up"  a  sensation,  and  that  sort  of 
spiritual  stir  which  comes  from  an  earnest  pulpit 
appeal,  and  which  profoundly  moves  the  feeling  of 
the  people.  But  when  preachers  think  more  of 
effect  than  of  exactness  in  statements;  when  the 
sacred  associations  of  religion  are  cheapened  by 
trivial  and  catchy  themes;  when,  instead  of 
preaching  upon  repentance,  the  preacher  conceals 
that  great  theme  in  a  boisterous,  flippant  tirade 
upon  the  Rottenest  Man  in  the  Rottenest  City, 
then  it  is  time  to  return  to  the  old  paths  and 
inquire  more  perfectly  the  way  of  the  Lord.  Let 
it  be  understood  by  every  preacher  that  anything 
and  everything  done  in  the  pulpit  which  calls 
attention  to  the  preacher,  detracts  just  that  much 
from  the  message. 

Sensational  preaching  may  be  classified  as  fol- 
lows: 

1.  Advertising,  Absurd,  and  "Catchy"  Sub- 
jects. 

To  announce  a  subject  beforehand  may  be  both 
wise  and  right,  and  in  many  instances  commend- 


154  THE  CHURCH 

able  and  helpful,  but  distinction  should  be  made 
between  attractive  subjects  and  the  grotesque  and 
spicy  kind.  Let  a  preacher  announce  that  he  is 
going  to  discuss  Repentance,  The  New  Birth,  or 
any  other  distinctively  Biblical  subject,  and  the 
worldly-minded  take  due  notice  thereof  and  stay 
at  home.  But  let  him  announce  that  he  will 
preach  on  "How  to  Fatten  an  Oyster,"  or  "The 
Search-light  Turned  on  the  Last  Election,"  or  "The 
Latest  Social  Scandal,"  and  the  multitudes  will 
fill  his  temple.  In  this  connection  it  should  be 
stated  that  oftentimes  such  methods  violate  good 
taste  and  become  offensive  to  the  esthetic  sense, 
as  for  instance  a  preacher  announced  that  he 
would  perform  in  the  pulpit  the  famous  handcuff 
act  in  real  expert  burglar  style.  A  certain  evan- 
gelist announced  that  his  subject  was  "Hen,"  and 
took  his  text  from  the  passionate  cry  of  our  Lord 
when  he  wept  over  Jerusalem.  In  our  National 
Capital  a  would-be  popular  preacher  took  for  his 
subjects  on  Sunday  evening,  "Do  Washington 
Women  Flirt?"  "Have  Washington  Men  and 
Women  Quit  Blushing?"  "A  Virginia  Lover's 
Shot-gun."  Let  me  say  that  even  though  such 
topics  draw  crowds  for  a  while,  a  heavy  price  must 
be  paid  in  ministerial  dignity  and  church  character 
for  the  crowds  they  draw.  It  may  be  said  by  some 
that  preachers  do  not  discuss  these  subjects  even 


SENSATIONAL  PREACHING  155 

though  they  announce  them,  but  present  some  gos- 
pel theme  under  these  catchy  captions.  If  that 
be  so,  then  the  preacher  has  schemed,  and  tricked 
the  people  into  coming,  and  even  fair-minded 
worldy  men  would  condemn  such  sculduggery  as 
belittling,  dishonest,  untruthful,  and  full  of  wick- 
edness. The  preacher  who,  for  the  sake  of  getting 
a  hearing,  announces  that  he  will  preach  on  "How 
Jonah  Lost  His  Umbrella,"  and  then  discusses 
another  subject  under  that  caption,  is  not  in  the 
youthful  George  Washington  class.  Such  a 
preacher  may  deliver  ever  so  helpful  a  message, 
and  by  it  some  may  be  led  to  a  better  life,  but  it 
yet  remains  true  that  the  people  came  under  false 
pretenses,  and  were  tricked  into  attendance.  But 
the  harm  is  not  found  alone  in  the  trick,  the  false- 
hood, and  the  loss  of  dignity,  it  demands  of  the 
preacher  a  steady  decline  from  the  high  and  lofty 
themes  of  the  gospel,  to  the  catchpenny  methods 
of  the  fakir.  A  preacher  who  had  resorted  to  this 
sensational  topic  method  finding  his  crowd  leaving 
him,  and  the  self-respecting  people  of  the  com- 
munity turning  against  him,  went  so  far  in  his 
downward  course  to  announce  as  his  theme  for  a 
certain  Sunday  evening,  "Four  Kisses  at  the  Bap- 
tist Church  by  the  Pastor."  Such  sensationalism 
is  a  shame  to  the  high  calling  of  the  gospel  minis- 


156  THE  CHURCH 

ter,  and  should  be  put  out  of  the  synagogue  with  a 
scourge. 

2.  Another  Form  of  Sensationalism  Is  Ludi- 
crous Pulpit  Methods. 

I  do  not  mean  by  these  the  Jumping  Jack,  nor 
the  clown  method,  nor  any  other  boorish,  capering, 
prancing  way.  Sometimes  the  pulpit  is  an  oppor- 
tunity for  queer  antics,  oddity  of  manner,  course 
jokes,  and  rude  witticism,  but  I  do  not  mean  these. 
There  is  a  real  place  for  humor  in  the  pulpit,  as 
I  shall  show  later  on,  but  the  pulpit  clown,  and 
clerical  montebank  do  vastly  more  harm  than 
good,  even  though  they  preach  the  gospel.  But 
what  I  mean  is  the  way  some  modern  preachers 
decorate  their  pulpits.  Some  years  ago  a  preacher 
was  to  have  the  barbers  of  the  city  present  on  a 
certain  occasion.  To  show  them  how  up-to-date 
he  was  he  had  his  pulpit  decorated  with  barber 
chairs,  razors,  cups,  etc.,  in  short,  he  stood  in  a 
barber  shop,  the  laughing  stock  of  the  men  he 
sought  to  entertain.  They  knew  more  about  bar- 
ber shops  than  he  did,  and  spent  six  days  in  the 
week  in  them,  and  now  this  up-to-date  preacher 
feasted  their  eyes  upon  them  on  the  seventh.  Fol- 
lowing this  method,  wash-tubs  and  clothes-lines 
should  form  the  background  of  the  pulpit  when 
preaching  to  laundrymen.    A  stable  and  another 


SENSATIONAL  PREACHING  157 

donkey  on  the  platform  would  look  well,  should 
horse  dealers  be  invited  to  attend  in  a  body.  A 
preacher  called  of  God  to  warn  men  of  death,  hell, 
and  the  judgment  resorting  to  such  methods  calls 
for  no  uncertain  condemnation  from  those  who 
have  followed  their  Master's  way  of  proclaiming 
the  "Good  News."  The  tendency  is  from  bad  to 
worse  until  the  church  becomes  a  playhouse,  and 
entertainment  is  substituted  for  worship. 

3.  Another  Form  of  Sensationalism  Is  the 
Assaulting  of  Fundamental  Truth. 

Sensational  preachers  often  really  assault  the 
evils  of  the  day,  and  they  should  be  commended 
for  it,  but  more  often  than  we  know  in  these  latter 
days,  the  real  foundations  of  the  church  are  being 
assaulted.  The  advocacy  of  modern  times,  mod- 
ern methods,  modern  service,  modern  everything 
is  a  form  of  sensationalism  which  may  in  the  end, 
to  say  the  least,  destroy  the  faith  of  some  and 
strew  the  highway  of  life  with  wreck  and  ruin. 
The  miraculous,  the  supernatural,  the  spiritual, 
the  almost  everything  that  was  once  accepted  as 
sacred  truth  is  now  being  held  up  to  ridicule,  crit- 
icism, and  condemnation.  It  is  indeed  time  for 
faithful  men  to  stand  guard  at  the  door  of  the 
sanctuary,  and  demand  of  every  man  who  would 


158  THE  CHURCH 

be  a  shepherd  in  Israel  to  give  proof  of  his  min- 
istry. 

In  this  age  when  sensationalism  is  prominent 
everywhere;  when  nerves  are  strung  to  the  high- 
est tension;  when  life  is  one  unbroken  round  of 
change  and  excitement,  there  is  greater  need  than 
ever  before  for  a  message  in  direct  contrast  to  the 
daily  temper,  experience,  and  grind ;  a  message  of 
love  direct  from  God,  and  such  a  message  can  only 
be  found  where  Spurgeon  found  it ;  where  Finney 
found  it;  where  Whitfield  found  it;  where  Moody 
found  it;  where  many  preachers  and  evangelists 
are  finding  it  to-day;  a  message  of  strength  and 
peace  in  the  "unsearchable  riches  of  Christ." 

BUT  THERE  IS  A  FORM  OF  SENSATIONALISM  THAT 
SHOULD  NOT  BE  CONDEMNED 

A  single  illustration  of  this  statement  will  suf- 
fice. In  the  days  of  Henry  Ward  Beecher's  popu- 
larity, a  gentleman  of  rare  taste  and  great  ability, 
and  who  was  averse  to  all  manner  of  sensational- 
ism, attended  his  service  for  the  first  and  only 
time.  He  says,  "I  do  not  remember  his  text,  but  I 
do  vividly  remember  several  of  his  dramatic 
periods.  In  the  course  of  his  sermon  he  used  the 
expression,  'Grinding  out  propositional  dogmas,' 
and  as  he  was  uttering  the  words  he  stepped  to 
the  right  side  of  the  little  desk  and  went  through 


SENSATIONAL  PREACHING  159 

the  motions  of  turning  an  imaginary  crank,  as 
though  he  were  grinding  something,  and  then 
many  in  the  audience  laughed.  I  should  not  have 
been  able  to  remember  that  phrase  so  long  if  it 
had  not  been  for  the  dramatic  illustration.  It 
made,"  said  this  gentleman,  "an  indelible  impres- 
sion." This  same  man  tells  that  in  the  same  ser- 
mon in  speaking  of  the  element  of  mercy  in  true 
justice,  the  preacher  illustrated  his  thought  by 
saying  that  when  he  was  a  lad,  and  was  in  a  dirty 
and  disordered  condition  one  day,  his  sister  took 
him  in  hand  and  put  him  in  good  order  and 
appearance  again.  He  said  his  sister  was  "seek- 
ing for  traces  of  beauty"  in  him,  and  then  with  a 
twinkle  in  his  eye  he  ran  his  right  hand  through 
his  hair  and  said,  "I  hope  she  found  them."  "Had 
it  not  been,"  said  the  gentleman,  "for  that  dra- 
matic action,  I  would  not  have  continued  to  this 
day  to  remember  both  the  words  and  the  point  he 
was  making."  In  this  dramatic  realm  some  men 
are  master  hands,  others  can  do  nothing  and  it  is 
unwise  for  them  to  try.  It  would  not  be  advisable 
for  all  preachers  to  try  to  be  humorists  in  the 
pulpit,  for  they  might  succeed. 

This  element  so  valuable  in  Henry  Ward 
Beecher  was  not  only  dramatic,  it  was  humorous, 
and  the  preacher  who  possesses  real  humor  seldom 


160  THE  CHURCH 

fails  to  interest,  instruct,  inspire,  and  help  his 
hearers.  No  man  can  tell  what  it  is ;  it  has  never 
yet  been  analyzed ;  try  to  mold  it  into  a  definition 
and  it  rebels  and  runs  away;  try  to  force  it  into 
a  contrast  and  it  disappears.  Humor  is  not  buf- 
foonery; it  is  pathos;  it  is  sympathy;  it  is  opti- 
mism; it  is  soul  bubbling  over  with  fellowship. 
We  have  two  great  American  citizens,  the  very 
names  of  whom  stir  every  heart  to  its  depth — 
Washington,  Lincoln.  Washington's  character, 
heroism,  and  attainments,  demand  loyalty  and 
love,  and  yet  honest  old  Abe,  with  his  smiling  face 
and  twinkling  eye  enframed  in  lines  of  serious 
anxiety  wins  our  love,  our  admiration,  and  our 
loyalty  in  a  way  that  Washington  is  powerless  to 
command.  Washington,  we  are  told,  was  deficient 
in  humor,  but  Lincoln  could  not  make  a  gesture, 
open  his  mouth,  cross  his  legs,  or  say  "That 
reminds  me,"  without  opening  up  the  fountain  of 
humor  that  bubbled  in  his  heart.  Humor,  like  the 
watering-cart  on  a  city  street,  lays  the  dust,  cools 
the  atmosphere,  and  leaves  all  happier  than  it  found 
them,  and  which  will  be  remembered  for  many  a 
grateful  moment  after  the  cart  itself  has  been  lost 
to  sight  and  sound  around  the  corner.  Do  not 
confound  humor  with  sensationalism,  nor  with 
antic  cutting  in  the  pulpit.    It  is  none  of  these, 


SENSATIONAL  PREACHING  161 

nor  is  it  like  them.  They  are  of  their  father,  the 
devil ;  humor  is  heaven  born  and  heaven  bred,  for 
God  Himself  shall  laugh  at  the  desolation  of  the 
wicked.  Kindred  to  these  elements  of  pulpit 
power,  and  far,  too,  from  sensationalism,  is  that 
of  surprise ;  taking  the  audience  unawares,  as  did 
Paul  at  Athens  by  his  quick,  adroit  reference  to 
the  altar  to  agnosticism — the  shrine  of  the 
unknown — on  which  he  immediately  inscribed  the 
name  of  the  true  God.  An  old  Scotch  preacher 
read  for  his  text  one  day,  "I  can  do  all  things." 
Stepping  a  little  away  from  the  pulpit,  he  said, 
"Paul,  I'll  bet  a  penny  you  are  mistaken."  That 
sentence  secured  the  attention  of  his  audience, 
when  he  proceeded  to  read  the  remainder  of  the 
text,  "through  Christ  who  strengtheneth  me,"  and 
then  said,  "Paul,  had  ye  bet,  I  should  have  lost." 
This,  like  humor,  is  not  sensationalism,  not  even 
akin  to  it  in  the  remotest  sense,  and  the  man  who 
can  turn  the  sharp  corners,  do  the  unexpected 
thing,  say  the  unlooked-for  word,  awaken  interest 
by  surprising  us  when  he  speaks,  is  the  man  whom 
the  King  delighteth  to  honor.  How  often  through- 
out the  public  discourses  of  Jesus,  it  is  stated  that 
the  people  were  astonished  at  his  doctrine.  They 
were  surprised  at  the  turns  he  made,  at  the 
method  he  employed,  and  certainly  it  is  well  for 


162  THE  CHURCH 

his  ambassadors  to  follow  his  example.  It  would 
be  a  surprise  to  some  congregations  did  their  pas- 
tors preach  the  gospel;  to  others  if  theirs  should 
preach  a  new  sermon,  or  discuss  a  living  issue. 
This,  my  brethren,  is  not  sensational  preaching,  it 
is  playing  upon  a  few  of  the  many  thousand 
chords  which  vibrate  in  that  wonderful  harp  we 
call  life. 

And  let  me  emphasize  tremendously,  if  I  am 
able,  the  fact  that  preaching  calls  for  an  expres- 
sion of  mental  and  soul  force  up  to  the  limit  of  the 
preacher's  capability.  The  tone  of  his  voice,  the 
emphasis  he  puts  upon  his  words,  the  flash  of  his 
eye,  and  the  movement  of  his  body,  all  tell  upon 
the  life  of  those  who  hear.  If  a  man  should  make 
love  in  an  ordinary  tone  and  indifferent  spirit,  his 
sweetheart  would  laugh  him  to  scorn.  Should  a 
man  cry  Fire,  or  Murder,  in  an  ordinary  tone  of 
voice,  nobody  would  respond  to  his  cry.  Should  a 
mad  dog  be  loose  in  the  highway,  who  would  not 
cry  out,  who  would  not  shout,  and  scream,  and 
yell?  Turn  a  lion,  or  a  viper  loose  in  the  com- 
munity and  hear  the  uproar,  and  yet  when  it 
comes  to  telling  of  the  love  of  God;  to  warning 
men  against  the  fire  of  an  endless  hell ;  of  a  mur- 
derer whose  bloody  hands  have  reeked  through  all 
the  centuries;  of  a  poison  more  suttle,  more  sure 


SENSATIONAL  PREACHING  163 

than  that  of  the  mad  dog,  or  serpent ;  of  a  power 
that  crushes,  ruins,  and  devours  more  dreadfully 
than  does  the  lion,  the  watchman  upon  the  wall 
must  be  genteel,  very  polite,  sweet-toned,  and 
modest-mannered.  It  would  be  sensationalism  to 
cut  up  antics,  to  play  the  clown,  to  cut  gymnas- 
tics while  crying  fire  or  murder,  but  it  would  be 
mighty  good,  common  sense  to  put  some  vim  in 
the  movement,  some  strain  into  the  voice,  and 
some  intensity  into  the  cry.  Mawkish,  clownish 
antics  when  dealing  with  sin  and  salvation,  are 
sensational,  but  earnestness,  intensity,  and  fervor, 
or  expressions  of  interest,  are  forces  that  win. 

THE  PEEACHING  THAT  WINS 

Not  the  preaching  that  draws.  Were  a  preacher 
to  stand  on  his  head  when  he  pronounced  the 
benediction,  that  would  draw,  but  it  would  not 
win.  Were  he  to  wear  one  trousers  leg  made  of 
blue  and  the  other  of  red,  that  would  draw,  but  it 
wouldn't  win.  Were  he  to  dance  a  jig  in  the 
pulpit,  or  kiss  the  prettiest  old  maid  in  the  audi- 
ence, that  would  draw,  but  it  wouldn't  win.  It 
would  be  sensational  enough  for  even  modern  life, 
but  it  would  lack  the  power  to  win  men  from  sin 
to  God. 

It  is  as  true  now  as  ever  in  the  history  of  the 
world  that  souls  are  hungering  for  the  bread  of 


164  THE  CHURCH 

life.  The  Greeks  are  still  saying,  "Sirs,  we  wovld 
see  Jesus,"  and  penitent  men  are  still  saying, 
"What  must  we  do  to  he  saved?"  and  the  preacher 
mistakes  his  calling,  tramples  upon  his  commis- 
sion, and  violates  his  most  sacred  obligation,  when 
he  fails  to  present  Jesus  Christ  and  point  the  way 
to  Him.  All  too  often  stones  are  given  for  bread, 
and  scorpions  palmed  off  for  eggs.  Preachers  of 
Paul's  stamp  scorn  the  preaching  that  shuts  the 
Bible  as  if  it  were  of  no  use,  and  then  emphasize 
philosophy,  systems  of  ethics,  popular  literature, 
signs  of  the  times,  the  social  and  political  prob- 
lems of  the  age,  or  the  needs  of  modern  civiliza- 
tion, while  Jesus  knocks  for  admittance  and  the 
Holy  Spirit  pleads  for  the  life.  No,  my  brethren, 
it  is  not  sensational  preaching  the  world  needs,  it 
is  sensible  preaching. 

There  is  room,  I  grant,  in  the  pulpit  for  refer- 
ence to  the  events  of  the  day,  but  it  should  be 
subordinate  to  the  great  theme  of  the  gospel. 
Many  preachers  act  upon  th«  assumption  that 
discussions  on  public  questions  excite  more  inter- 
est and  draw  larger  crowds  than  the  old  truths  of 
the  gospel.  "Swat  the  Fly,"  "Gather  Up  Sticks  and 
Stones  From  the  Highway,"  become  sweet  sub- 
jects to  some  preachers,  while  the  call  to  repent- 
ance, and  the  announcement  of  His  resurrection 


SENSATIONAL  PREACHING  165 

are  forgotten.  Why  is  it  so?  For  the  simple 
reason  that  such  preachers  are  more  at  home  with 
current  events  than  they  are  with  the  truths  of 
the  Bible.  They  read  the  newspapers  more  than 
they  do  the  law  of  heaven  and  earth.  The 
preacher  who  knows  more  of  the  fringe  and  the 
frame  of  the  Bible  than  he  does  about  its  living 
truth  and  its  burning  heart,  who  attracts  the 
crowd  by  the  discussion  of  sensational  themes,  and 
the  passing  questions  of  the  day,  is  destined  at  no 
distant  period  to  lose  his  place  in  the  realm  of 
moral  teaching.  When  the  gospel  is  vitally 
preached,  the  people  are  as  much  interested  as 
they  ever  were.  It  is  the  freshest  and  most 
attractive  theme  men  have  ever  handled.  The 
preacher  who  is  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God, 
and  has  his  gospel  interpreted  to  him  from  above, 
tells  the  old  story  of  the  Cross  and  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  Christ  with  irresistible  power  and 
charm.  What  the  people  really  turn  from  are 
sermons  on  religion  by  men  who  do  not  under- 
stand religion.  The  half  converted,  unconse- 
crated,  intellectual  preacher  with  a  smattering  of 
higher  criticism,  and  a  desire  for  social  heroism, 
undertaking  to  interpret  infinite  love  and  its  call 
to  repentance,  makes  but  a  sorry  out  of  it  at  best. 
A  weary,  tired  heart  went  not  long  ago  to  hear  a 


166  THE  CHURCH 

returned  missionary,  saying  over  and  over,  he  can 
tell  me  where  to  find  comfort.  The  returned  mis- 
sionary talked  abowt  the  good  that  children  could 
do  by  picking  up  the  sticks  off  the  public  highway, 
and  of  the  many  little  ministries  within  their 
reach,  and  the  poor  tired  soul  that  had  gone  to  the 
sanctuary  to  see  Jesus,  never  had  as  much  as  a 
glimpse  of  Him. 

Depend  upon  it  that  when  the  gospel  is  sincerely 
and  vitally  preached,  it  is  to-day,  as  it  ever  has 
been,  and  forever  will  be,  the  world's  greatest 
need,  and  preacher's  greatest  theme. 


Date  Due 


